The Connect Effect

The Connect Effect This page intentionally left blank The Connect Effect BUILDING STRONG PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND VIRTUAL NETWORKS Michael Dulworth Copyright © 2008 by Michael Dulworth. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. 235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, CA 94104-2916 Tel: (415) 288-0260 Fax: (415) 362-2512 www.bkconnection.com Ordering Information Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the “Special Sales Department” at the BerrettKoehler address above. Individual sales. Berrett-Koehler publications are available through most bookstores. They can also be ordered directly from Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626; www.bkconnection.com Orders for college textbook/course adoption use. Please contact Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626. Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact Ingram Publisher Services, Tel: (800) 509-4887; Fax: (800) 838-1149; E-mail: customer.service@ingrampublisher services.com; or visit www.ingrampublisherservices.com/Ordering for details about electronic ordering. Berrett-Koehler and the BK logo are registered trademarks of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Printed in the United States of America Berrett-Koehler books are printed on long-lasting acid-free paper. When it is available, we choose paper that has been manufactured by environmentally responsible processes. These may include using trees grown in sustainable forests, incorporating recycled paper, minimizing chlorine in bleaching, or recycling the energy produced at the paper mill. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dulworth, Mike, 1962The connect effect : building strong personal, professional, and virtual networks / Michael Dulworth. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-57675-462-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Social networks. 2. Business networks. I. Title. HM741.D84 2008 650.1'3—dc22 2007039226 PDF E-book ISBN 978-1-57675-536-5 first edition 13 12 11 10 09 08 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Cover design by ALIAN Design. Interior Design and composition by Beverly Butterfield, Girl of the West Productions. Copyediting by PeopleSpeak. Indexing by Rachel Rice. To my parents, the first members of my network This page intentionally left blank Contents Preface Introduction: The Power of Networks Part One: Becoming a Highly Effective Networker 1 What’s Your Networking Quotient? 2 Network Early, Network Often 3 Building Your Network 4 What’s Your Personal Brand? 5 Entering the Network Zone ix 1 17 28 46 63 75 Part Two: Harnessing the Power of Different Networks 6 Networking Peer-to-Peer 7 Tapping Organizational Networks 8 Joining Communities of Practice 9 Virtual Networking 91 102 116 127 144 165 173 175 177 187 189 Conclusion: The Future of Networking Resources A Choosing Your Board, by Richard Leider B Online Networking Sites Notes Index Acknowledgments About the Author vii This page intentionally left blank Preface Networks can change the world; every node matters. anonymous E verybody knows what networking is. People network at a luncheon or conference by exchanging business cards, telling each other about their jobs. But it can be much more than that. When done effectively, networking is about more than the number of business cards you hand out, the size of your Rolodex, or the numbers stored in your BlackBerry: it can be a way of life if you want to take it that far. It’s about how you see yourself and how you connect with the world around you. When you make networking a priority, you can put what I call the “Connect Effect” to work for you. I define the Connect Effect as the positive outcome derived from investing in your network. The benefits of the Connect Effect are many and varied. As you connect personally with more and more carefully chosen people, you increase your ability to advance your career, enhance your personal life, and accomplish things you may have thought were impossible. In this book, I’m going to show you the multiple benefits of strong, dynamic networks and the best ways to grow and enhance them. Strong networks involve more than just widening the circle of people you know. They foster deeper learning and broader exposure to a variety of issues—as you will discover. An effective ix x the connect effect network can make you more knowledgeable and better grounded, as well as a more agile learner and a better collaborator. When you become a skilled networker, you can address challenges and make the most of opportunities at the fast pace essential for success in today’s world. But networks are not just about getting ahead; they can help you make a big difference on the issues you are passionate about. Networks can even change the world. Look at just a few ways networks are making an impact: l The Linux computer operating system was largely developed on a volunteer basis by a network of users and developers and is used today throughout the world on desktop computers, servers, and even supercomputers. President Clinton’s Global Initiative brings together a community of global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, includ