Living Without Denial:  Professionals Who Maintain the Discipline of Networking by K. Jack Speer Is it wise to defer networking when you’re eyeballs deep in work? Many BizWatch readers told me that because they work 50 to 60 hours a week, it is impossible for them to network.

K. Jack Speer President The Delta Associates

What’s wrong with this picture? Well, nothing at all—providing you’re living in 1950. That’s when giving your all to the company meant their unfailing loyalty to you. We really know that’s not true today, don’t we? The HP of today could very well be the Enron of tomorrow. I know many executives who are living in the cocoon of one company. They have little or no outside professional contact, living the life of a hostage, giving almost every productive hour to their job. It’s a kind of major, gross denial. It will take you a lot longer to rebuild the network you should have than it will to spend your severance pay when they decide they no longer need your 70 hours a weeks. You’re much like a company that refuses to devote resources to R&D and Marketing. Networkers and Networking that Works Granted that keeping a group of CPAs with an adequate number of clients and billable hours can be like feeding an army of hungry birds. Nonetheless, the recommendations of Earl Maxwell, Leading Partner, Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP, add up to the Gold Standard of networking. The recommendations, in Maxwell’s words, are: "Commit to having 50 to 100 lunches this year with someone other than your friends at work

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"When your lunches are at a downtown dinner club, arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to greet other people who pass you as you wait for your lunch partner Avoid networking functions and never network for the sake of networking." Many of you may scoff at this as what many may consider a very questionable use of time. Some of you have told me you don’t like to schmooze. And, to put the last nail in the coffin, you’re going to say that after doing your job all day and into the night, you don’t have the physical, psychological, and emotional energy for this.

Earl Maxwell, Leading Partner, Maxwell Locke & Ritter LLP

Arnie Allen, owner of IMPACT Executive Placement, always keeps his network in place and doesn’t experience the starts and stops of networking that many of us do. And he uses some traditional networks: "I have found a couple of different organizations have been very helpful to me," says Allen. "First of all my college alumni have been extremely helpful over the years--and I in return have been of service to many. Secondly I have found that the Chamber of Commerce is an excellent vehicle to do this as well."

So many people let their networks dry up. I know one graduate of a major Ivy League University (Ph.D. with honors and scholarships) who refuses to open her alumni book. I recently visited with a person who is an authority at networking through chambers of commerce who isn’t a member of the chamber and hasn’t been to a meeting in years.

In all these cases we get fat and complacent when we don’t need our networks, because they take an enormous amount of time to maintain. Then when our world changes, and not for the better, we kick ourselves for not doing what was obvious.

Basic Networking 101

The following are principles of basic networking that have been used successfully for the last several centuries. Benjamin Franklin had a group he put together called The Junto, that was active in discussions and correspondence throughout his life. (Franklin was a master networker, but obviously never mastered Spanish. "Junto" should be "junta.")

1. Invest Your Time in the Most Effective Associations Available. The Austin chapter of the Human Resource Management Association (AHRMA) is cited time after time as a great local association. It embodies what effective networkers need in an association. Karla Lovelady, Manager of Staffing and Recruitment for Guaranty Financial Services cites AHRMA as a valuable resource for her HR role.
   
   Look for the following features and benefits in associations.
   
     A. Full time professional staff
   
     B. Meetings with excellent programs and seminars
   
     C. An accurate and professional membership directory
   
     D. A website with updated useful information, complete with a chat room
   
     E. An annual convention/trade show that is on the level of quality with state association conventions
   
     F. Opportunities to volunteer and be a part of things.
   
2. Be Active in Associations Early in Your Career (or as early as possible). The time to give your all to an association is toward the beginning of your career. This is the time you can offer it the most and it can offer you the most. As you attend meetings, you’ll get some basic information that will be useful and you’ll meet people whom you need to know. Later in your career you will not have as great a need for activism.
3. Spend the Time to Be Active. "You will never be forgotten if you are volunteering somewhere in your field of expertise," says Barbara Botts, Director of Human Resources & Risk Management at Tanknology in Austin, Texas. "Go for certification in your field, because in study groups you can form relationships. Keep in contact with all departing employees in your group--boss or subordinate--for future contact and networking."
4. Become Recognized in Your Field by Serving on the Board. Dan Pickens, senior public relations person at AMD Austin, saw an opportunity in being active in the Public Relations Society of America. He became active in PRSA, moving through the board chairs, and served as president. Pickens has been in his role at AMD for a little over a year now, and PRSA has helped him achieve the exposure he has needed for his career.  

   Jill Prather, owner of Israel Prather Consulting is president-elect of the local Austin chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. Jill, while running her company and raising a family, has heavily invested her time in ASTD, serving on several committees through the years and will become president next year.  Jill tells me that she has received a great deal of benefit, her first large contracts training design coming from her contacts with the chapter.
   

5. Allocate your Association Time as Specifically as You Can to Your Own Industry and to Your Specific Field of Expertise. Even if you’re a generalist in a field like HR or training, stay close to your specific industry whether high tech, health care, law, or government. At the same time, you will derive the most benefit from associations close to your area of expertise. Pete Costner, head of AMD security in Sunnyvale, California is active in the International Security Management Association (ISMA). He takes time to be involved in the association, which meets twice a year. A website and directories are available as well as the opportunity to communicate with members.