I wasn't looking forward to it, but my wife needed help, so I took some documents to edit and headed for her classroom. She's an English as Second Language teacher, and she has to administer a lot of tests in the Feb-March timeframe. She didn't have a proctor, so I offered to help - reluctantly.
While I was watching kids out of the corner of my eye, I started making some edits to a new client's content for his site, and then it hit me - the secret needs to get out!
I'm a student of innovation and an innovator, and I still can't predict where or when the next big idea will come from. I certainly didn't expect it while proctoring an exam for my wife.
I thought about the condition of the economy and the skills that my partner and I have, and realized that we were hoarding some powerful knowledge that can help job seekers, entrepreneurs, business builders, and almost everyone else on the planet. What, you may ask, was this epiphany? Simply this:
Networking is a skill that can benefit EVERYONE. Building a network of people who you can help and who help you is one of the most enjoyable and powerful business and life accelerators that exists. But many people don't do it.
I couldn't wait to get home and tell my partner the idea. Within 30 minutes, I had the outline that is now most of the Secrets of Effective Networking workshop that Big Think offers. My partner was thrilled, because he is an even more accomplished networker than I. [updated 5/31/2010 - Although I thought it was new, there are many great providers of networking training. We think our is the best, of course...]
If you don't get the training from us, get a good book like Harvey MacKay's Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive. It always amazes me how easy it is to help people because of my network. I coach startups through CED (www.cednc.org), UNC Business School (http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/), and I'm always able to connect entrepreneurs with people who can help them.
Fortunately, it goes both ways. I have been helped by more people than I can count, who connected me to their friends and networks.
Ultimately, you become more valuable as your network value grows. Some industries like professional services will take a person's network into account often more than a person's skills.
Get Connected!
