Shirt: Rails, Size XS (similar here) Jeans: Topshop Leigh, Size 28
A Book That Will Change Your Opinion on What’s “Networking”
You’re boarding a flight. You have your carry-on suitcase tucked away in the overhead compartment. You put your coffee and magazine down and settled down next to the passenger you’re about to spend 5 hours of your life breathing the same air with. You look up and realize he’s the leader of an organization you’ve been desperately trying to get in touch with. “How do I do this??” You ask yourself. Now…only if you’ve read Build Your Dream Network. (Answer is at the bottom of the post. Keep reading!)
I’d take a wild guess and say that most of us don’t think butterflies and ice-cream when we hear the word networking. I’d even say that most of us even dread it. And for those of us that have tried to improve our networking skills, we are probably all keenly aware of the rules thumb when it comes to networking – read up about who you’re going to meet first, remember people’s names, listen more than you speak, and never eat alone (this tip from Chanele at DoWellDressWell.com I’d never forget).
Truth is, we only get to put these things into practice when we get to “networking events”. And when we don’t feel like we are in “networking mode”, our eyes are peeled to our phones, we don’t initiate conversations, and we try to keep to ourselves because it’s more comfortable that way.
What Networking Is NOT
One of the first things the myth the author debunks is the fact that your network is this “external resource” we tap into when we need something. No. In 2017, your network is in your everyday life. It’s your Facebook friends, your neighbors, the barista you buy coffee from, your blog readers, and your coworkers. So, building a network is not the traditional hustling to get your name out and the frenzy of business card exchange that comes to mind, but a constant stream of meaningful, intentional and purposeful interaction between you and the people you regularly meet.
Who Should Read BYDN?
If you’re wondering who should read “ Build Your Dream Network”, it’s pretty much everyone:
· Bloggers and writers
· Small business owners
· Corporate ladder climbers
3 Reasons Why You Won’t Want to Miss Build Your Dream Network
To summarize, here are 3 quick reasons why you should NOT miss Build Your Dream Network:
- I’m going to go on a limb and call this book the 21st century’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. C’mon, I know Dale Carnegie is a renowned relationship expert and has been for the last 80 years. But that’s precisely the point – it’s been 80 years! Navigating emails and LinkedIn invites require a different expertise than what we’ve been reading since the beginning of the last century. The tagline of the book is “Forging Powerful Relationships in a Hyper-Connected World” with “hyper-connected” being the keyword here – it’s our world in 2017!
- The author J. Kelly Hoey has an impressive and, quite honestly, intimidating suite of credentials and accomplishments. Yet, she writes with such humor and humility that really makes you want to read on. If someone who’s accomplished so much wants to sit down with me and dish on her secret to success, I’m all ears.
- This book is full of simple graphs on how-to’s and checklists (see photo below). It’s truly a modernized book – I haven’t seen a book that’s so tailored to the 2017’s reader’s minds. Nowadays when I read, I constantly find myself wanting to take a mental snapshot of good points and phrases. This book has packaged all the points in these infographics that are cute and easy to grasp. All you have to do is to take a photo of the page!
So, what is the secret to networking success? Two words: CURIOSITY and GENEROSITY. As to how to apply these principles.. you gotta read Build Your Dream Network to find out!
To Enter The Giveaway
I have one free copy of Build Your Dream Network for one lucky Cubicle Chic Reader! If you leave me a comment below with your name and email address, letting me know what the typical networking occasion you run into and what your biggest challenge is when it comes to networking, you will be entered into the drawing for this book! Please enter by 12:00AM Thursday, May 25, 2017.