Getting Clear on Your Objectives

If you are looking to get more results from your networking experience, it is a MUST that you are clear on what your objectives are.  Mitchell’s  comment from last week’s article said it best by summarizing the importance for being “intentional in our networking” or you’re wasting your time and money. 

 

Have you really thought about your objectives beyond the surface?  I want to share with you a superficial objective scenario that can be broken down into “real” objectives.

UNCOVERING THE SURFACE OBJECTIVE

John: I attend networking as a marketing strategy for my business.

Me: Why?

John: I want to gain more clients.

Me: How are you going to gain more clients through networking?

John:  I can meet potential clients at networking events.

Me:  What else?

John: I can meet people that know some potential clients for my business

Me: What else?

John: I can increase my business brand and awareness through meeting people around the city.

Now, I still haven’t gotten to the “real” objective yet, but John is starting to think more about the possibilities  of gaining clients through networking.  Let’s recap and dig deeper. 

SURFACE OBJECTIVE: Use networking as part of a marketing strategy

SURFACE HOWS:  

                1.  Meet potential clients through networking

                2.  Get referrals from my networking contacts

                3.  Increase business brand awareness throughout the city

 Now, let’s just take one of these “how’s” and break it down to find the real objective.

SURFACE HOW BREAKDOWN # 2: Get referrals from my networking contacts

Consider this question: Do you typically refer people you just meet to people that you like, love, or value doing business with?

Probably not.  Bob Burg said it best, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” So, if you are trying to get referrals through your networking contacts how will you make sure they know, like, and trust you?  It won’t be by spewing out your 30-second pitch, getting their contact card, moving on, and following up with them another day unless you were able to create some real rapport ( part of the like factor) and a reason for them to want to talk or get together with you at a later time.  

REAL OBJECTIVE 1: Build genuine rapport with new business contacts during networking to increase the know and likability factor

Now to increase likability, you need to establish some common ground; what things do you have in common (i.e. both live in the same area, both are business owners, both like sports, etc.)?

What are some other ways to increase your likability factor so that you can obtain future referrals from your new business contact?

Image courtesy of Pakorn's Portfolio

My goal is to get you thinking beyond your initial reasoning for networking so you can start getting clear on your networking goals and measurement for making this happen.  I challenge you to come up with the REAL OBJECTIVE 2 and other objectives for networking as a business strategy!

Not Getting Results With NETWORKING?

Why do YOU professionally network?

Why do YOU attend business networking functions?

 Do you really know why or thought about why you network, or do you just do it because:

• It is required for your job
• Your boss has made it clear that you really should go
• You are hoping you will meet your next prospect
• You need a job
• You are single and ready to mingle ( I hope this is NOT the case)
• Networking is something you heard you should do to market your own business

 When you are clear about why you are networking, you can expect to:

1. Enjoy it. Meeting new people, even if you are an introvert like I can sometimes be, can be a very rewarding experience. I have met a lot of wonderful people that still continue to enrich my personal and professional life.
2. Be more relaxed. You can limit your anxiety about meeting a room full of strangers. Most of our anxiety comes from the unknown - not knowing what to expect, who we are going to meet, and what we are going to say, etc. When we know our objective, we can prepare and take comfort in knowing our purpose.
3. Get results. When you know your purpose and have goals, you can measure your progress to get quicker results.

Maybe your goals are to meet a certain number of people you can market your product/services to, meet a job connection, or practice your 30-second introduction. If you don’t feel networking has been an effective strategy and have not put much thought into how it could work for you, stay tuned next week to explore some potential networking objectives and measurable to increase your results!

Are You a TEXTING Professional?

Is this an oxymoron?  Can you use text as a form of communication in business and still be considered a professional?  Is it possible to use texting to communicate with your colleagues and customers and still maintain the same level of respect?

Your Thoughts?....................

We can’t deny that advancing technology is changing the way we do business.  Some technology professionals tout the use of texting in business because of its ability to reach the recipient much faster.  The president of Solution Oriented Systems, Inc., Griff Griffith, also states that it is effective in reaching the Millennials and Gen Xers.   I see the Gen Y and Millennial's using texting to communicate most in business because it is something they are used to using frequently throughout their day.  Even though texting is increasingly becoming more commonplace with the younger generations in the workforce, the question remains, can it have a negative impact on your business reputation? 

Roger Thaxton, with Roger Thaxton, CPA, C.P., only uses texts with family friends and NEVER in business. When asking Cecelia Jackovich, a sales professional with Yellow Book and  a Gen Y’r, how she feels about texting in business, she told me that she is NEVER the one to initiate texting in business.  Although she does feel texting can be appropriate when communicating urgent messages (i.e. change of meeting location), her preferred method of communicating professionally is through phone and email.  Losing respect for another business professional has been the outcome of some of her situations.  If she leaves a message for a colleague and they text back, she conveyed that she feels less important to them – this has had a negative impact on her view towards that working relationship.  When a male client used a text after their initial meeting, “You’re such a good sales person!”, the word she used to describe this was, CREEPY!  Texting in this form communicates that you are on a “friend/acquaintance” level.  If this situation didn’t shock you, I ask you this - would you call someone’s house phone to leave them this same message?  If not, I urge you to strongly consider how you are using text messages in business.  Sending a text is much more personal than it is business.  Unlike an office phone, your cell phone is with you everywhere – consider where they might be when receiving your “business-like” text.

A Contradiction?

Image Courtesy of Salvatore Vuono's Portfolio

Texting in business can bring a business relationship to a different and sometimes less professional level.  I will say that I DO use texting with my clients.  Not just to send inspirational messages, but I ask them their preferred method of contact when deciding on a session time.  If texting is their choice, this is what I will use.  Interestingly enough, I have found that texting has accelerated the trust with some of my clients.  Some of my clients who may have been more reserved with me before a text, seemed to open up and share more with me in email, during sessions, and in text.   

In a coaching relationship, texting has been a POSITIVE tool for me. 

Before sending a text in a business context consider these questions:

• In what ways do you use text in business?
• Have you thought about how it could impact your impression on them when using this form of communication?
• Do you use text because it is more convenient for YOU or for THEM?
• What positive and negative experiences have you had or heard about using text in business? 
• Does the positive impact outweigh the negative ones? 

Is your Smartphone running your life?

Now, I could have said ruining your life and this article could essentially say the same thing.  I may operate on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to using my Smartphone (i.e. it might take me more than three hours to return your call, reply to your email, or respond to your LinkedIN-Facebook- text message, etc.), but it is my goal to give my full attention to who I am with or what I am doing. 
 

Have you ever:

Image Courtesy of Chawalitpix's portfolio

• been out with a friend (i.e. having lunch, visiting at their home, etc.) and in the middle of a sentence, the person picked up their phone to read a text or respond to a text?
• had another person in a business meeting answer their phone or send an email while you were sharing your ideas or presenting?
• went to visit family, and while trying to visit with  them, they were glued to their phone sending emails, on facebook, texting, etc.? 
•  ………I will let you fill in your experience here. 

We have all at some point been the victim of a Smartphone offense.  How did it make you feel (e.g. second rate, not important, not worthy enough, etc.)?

The real question is have you ever been the Smartphone offender?  Mmmmhmmmm…….

I am upfront when I am with close friends about how I feel if they are glued to their Smartphone during our visit.  I was shocked by my own behavior this past month.  One of my closest friends was visiting at my home, and in the moment, I thought it was okay to respond to a text.  I even felt the need to tell her (while she was talking to me) who I was texting and why.  I can still picture it…she had stopped what she was saying and was just looking at me while I finished my text.  It wasn’t until she left that I realized she had been a victim of a Smartphone offense, and I was the offender!  Don’t get me wrong, there are situations where responding to a text, email, or phone call when with friends, family, or in business is appropriate and necessary, but this is rarely the case.  

Before responding, ask yourself, does this need to be responded to right now, or will I just feel better to send this off now?  There was a recent study done of over 360 workers about the signs of technology addiction.  It has been proven that humans can only cope with around seven tasks simultaneously, so with facebook, LinkedIn, Friendster, texting, emails, etc., we are increasingly overloaded with various forms of communication.  To stay afloat, many of us have become attached to our Smartphones so that we don’t fall behind.  I ask you this, is it working?  Do you feel less bombarded or caught up?  On the other hand, have any of your relationships suffered?  Have you lost business because of being constantly connected?  Does your employer now expect you to be accessible 24/7?

You can make the choice of whether or not to allow technology to run your life, and you can also make the choice to set boundaries and realistic expectations with your friends, family, and business connections.

WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?

Responding to Emails in a Timely Manner

Photo courtesy of  David Castillo Dominici http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=3062

How long is too long to respond to an email?

Are you someone who responds to an email as soon as it comes in?

Are your expectations in line with the length of time you take to respond to others?

Intel Corporation had done a study with 88,000 employees discovering that the average employee received approximately 200 emails a day with about 30% of them being deemed as unnecessary.  Most people who used to shoot for being an “inbox zero practitioner”, have found themselves with their face buried in their hands or responding to emails at 4:00 a.m.

Communication etiquette experts have commented on how to professionally respond to an email but not too many talk about what is the appropriate amount of time in responding to one.  Not too long ago, it used to be that you were expected to respond within a few hours or especially the day the email was sent.  Nowadays, many people are not able to even get through all their emails in a day.  It has been reported that employees easily spend 3 hours a day just managing their email.

There are a ton of “managing email” tips in books, online, and taught by productivity experts.  A consensus among them all seem to be to go through your most urgent emails first.  Hopefully, your sender has indicated this through their subject line (i.e. Response Needed by Tomorrow) or by red flagging it.  Other common ones are responding quickly that you have received the email and then letting them know when you will be able to thoroughly respond to it.  Many people find that checking their email just twice a day is easily manageable and doesn’t let email control their life, other people tell me that is not possible in the position they are in to only check it twice.  I pose the question, is it impossible or is it because of the expectation they have set with others that they are always available?  Have they considered setting and teaching a new expectation and/or methods of communicating with them in order for them all to work more efficiently?  In a study done by the Department of Informatics at the University of California, they observed more than 1,000 hours of employees and found that each time a worker was distracted from a task, it took an average of 25 minutes to return to that task.  Also, each employee spent only 11 minutes on what they were working on before getting interrupted.  How can you really expect to get into your “flow state” and be most productive if you are constantly being distracted by emails in your inbox?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

You can’t control other people but you can try and teach them by modeling better email etiquette. 

1.  Be considerate when you send emails.  Can you address multiple items in one email or is it best to send multiple emails to the same person throughout the day?  Think about how much email you have to sort through and read.  Can you make your emails more concise?  I found this website to give some pretty good and short advice on responding back to emails.

2.  When sending email and expecting a response, consider the person you are sending it to.  Are they typically swamped with emails (most likely!)?  What is an appropriate amount of time to give them to respond to your email or let you know they received it (i.e. a day, 2 business days, etc.) before you have lost credibility with them?  We lose credibility with people that we assume are unable to manage their time effectively and respond in a timely manner.  

3.  Start expressing your expectation of timeliness.  Let them know in the email when you expect to hear back from them.   Tell them you will follow up if you haven’t heard back from them by the end of the time frame you have given them.

4.  Lastly, ask yourself if your expectations are realistic for others and  recognize and own the consequences for your actions.  My own  guidelines for responding to emails are following up with people ideally within the day but no later than the next business day (i.e. I get an email Monday at 9:00 a.m. and might not respond until Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.).  For me, I choose to not get consumed by my inbox, but I also am aware of the implications of not getting back to someone who expects a response within the hour (i.e. losing a potential client).  

Remember: Email is nothing more than an electronic memo……if you are looking for a quick response, the telephone and voicemail are a better choice.

Workplace Faux Paus for Women

As women we often times need to work even harder to gain the respect and appreciation we deserve in the workplace.  I recently did a radio blog on Working Knowledge with Azalia (AJ) Owen, MBA, MISM with AOWEE Professional Training and Development as the second part of "Owning It: Womenhood in the Workplace Part 2" which talked about things that women do in the workplace that can be holding them back.

One of the hot topic questions discussed was "What are some common behaviors that cause women problems with professionalism in the workplace".  Below are some of those faux pas women make in their career and some ways to avoid them:

1.  Engaging in Gossip at Work

As women, we tend to verbally process what happens to us, especially if what happened to us is bothersome.  I urge you to think about the consequences of venting in the workplace and at what cost?  Of course, things upset us at work - that's normal, but what is the best way to handle this situation so it does not escalate or have a negative impact on your reputation?

Solution:  Schedule a time to talk about your issue with the offending party (even if it is your boss).  They are the ONLY one who can prevent the offense from happening again.  If you have tried this several times and they are not interested in changing their behavior, you are only responsible for your own behavior.  Confide  in a close family member or friend that is NOT associated with your company/workplace.  Be careful you don't do this too much about the same issue- people don't want to hear complainers or negative nellys that won't put in the effort to make a change.

2.  Cluttered Work Space

We are all busy and it can be easy to get overwhelmed and behind these days.  We are asked to do more with less; however, having a cluttered work space speaks volumes about us, whether it is true or not.  The thinking is scattered office - scatter brain!  This sends the message that you are behind, disorganized, drowning......you lose credibility.

Solution:  Commit to spending the last 15 minutes of each work day cleaning up your space.  You may not be done with the task or project, but you are done for the day.   It will feel amazing to walk into your work space the next day with a clear office and a clear mind!

3.  Not Being On Time

When you are on time you are telling the person that you respect them, the event, etc.  Being late for work, a business meeting, work function, emailing or calling people back, can send a message that you just don't care or you care more about yourself.  Not responding to emails or phone calls within a reasonable amount of time (the next business day) you send the message you are overwhelmed (can't handle it), disorganized, too busy for them, etc. 

Solution:  I once asked a great friend to share with me how she always managed to make it everywhere on time.  Her strategy was to assume the event, function, etc. started 15 minutes before it actually did.  This gave her time to get there and either, use the restroom, get coffee, network, take a few moments to relax (visualize), read, or catch up on work while she was waiting.

There are some other common behaviors that can cause women problems at work.  If you are interested in learning more behaviors to avoid, wearable but wrong clothing choices for the workplace, and why being eye-candy may get you the promotion but at what cost, you can listen to this 30-minute radio segment at Working Knowledge Blog Radio .

I would love to hear from you - what are some common behaviors you see women engaging in that have a negative impact on their professionalism?

Owning It Womanhood in the Workplace - Part 2 12/08 by Working Knowledge | Blog Talk Radio

Owning It Womanhood in the Workplace - Part 2 12/08 by Working Knowledge | Blog Talk Radio

Are You Sweating Enough?

Are you someone who works out consistently or have decided to take on a workout regimen? Are you feeling guilty about what you consumed on Thanksgiving Day and this past holiday weekend? Are you motivated to burn off some of those unwanted calories and fat? How do you know if you are working out to the right intensity for your goals? 

Do you mostly gauge your workout by how hard you sweat? You really shouldn’t, because the amount of perspiration varies from person to person and is not always a good indication of your intensity level. Whether you are looking to burn fat by working in your fat burning zone or are looking to increase your endurance and burn more overall calories in a workout with high intensity training, you will need to use some form of measuring tool. This can be a heart rate monitor or you can use Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Even though there are many heart rate monitors that are pretty accurate and also provide you with how many calories you burn, using the RPE can be just as effective for measuring your intensity level.

RPE is a subjective way for you to gauge your own perception of your exertion level. While you are working out, give that exercise class or specific routine an intensity level by giving it a number on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hardest). The same exercise class that you have been doing for two months could be rated a six in the first month and a four in the second month. This is your red flag telling you to change things up in order to keep challenging yourself. I encourage you to be creative with this scale, but here is an example of how it can work for you:

1-3 = Am I really exercising because this just feels too easy? (LIGHT)

4-6 = This is starting to feel like work – this feels kind of tough but I could do this awhile. (probably your fat burning zone- MODERATE)

7-8 = This is pretty intense- I can’t believe I can do this; I know I can’t keep up with this for long. (VERY HARD)

9-10 = I can do this for about 3 more seconds before I just fall over. (VERY, VERY HARD)

If you like to use the treadmill, run, or take a group exercise class, start rating your workouts using the RPE, not the amount of water you perspire, so that you can make your own adjustments accordingly to reach your goal of losing weight, building endurance, or just working out your heart.

BOTOX RESULTS

Below I have posted my botox results. If you didn't read or watch my experience of getting botox around my crows feet, visit my blog posted on October 13th, 2011. After receiving my initial injections, I did go back a week later for a follow up visit. At this time, I had no side effects and had seen a significant improvement on the lines around my eyes (they were GONE!) I felt that the disappearing lines around my eyes drew attention to the lines under my eyes, so we injected about 1 more unit under each eye. Dr. Anwar, from Sugarland's Skin & Body Wellness Spa, did not feel that botox would correct this area completely because it was just hallow skin. I did notice a slight difference after this second small injection under the eye. I will say that the pain level under the eye was a bit higher than the pain level on the side of the eye (crows feet). All in all, this was an easy thing to get done. Thank you to Dr. Anwar and her friendly staff for making this a pleasant experience for me!

1st picture (before) - 2nd picture (before 2nd injection), 3rd picture (after)

Attracted to a Profile Picture?

If you're single and are one of the millions of people trying to meet online, how do you know if you are really talking with the person in the picture? I recently met a great guy who was meeting his date from PlentyofFish.com for the first time. They seemed to hit it off through emails and had a great conversation over the phone. He was very excited to meet this woman that he had been conversing with, and he was very attracted to her profile picture.

I don’t think their date even lasted an hour. He was definitely turned off by her lack of interest in him and constant talking the entire time, but he also was very disappointed in her appearance. Whether the picture was six years old or six months old, she did not look the same. If you think you are going to WOW them with your personality, think again! People want to meet the same person they met in the picture. It is time to update your profile picture if:

• You radically changed your hair style
• Lost or gained more than 10-20 pounds (if this is a dramatic change in your appearance)
• Suddenly grew or shrunk a few inches J (If you are really short or tall, don’t just show a head shot in your profile picture)
• More than a few years old – the best pictures are the most recent (within a few months)
• Your current style/personality portrayed in your picture doesn’t really match what your interests are (i.e. dressed up look in picture but always dress pretty casually)

When you are have met someone you are attracted to by their picture and have great chemistry over the phone, don’t feel bad about asking about their picture. Be up front and state you have met people who have looked very different when you met them in person. Ask them how recent their picture is, do they feel it represents what they look like now, etc. Also, make sure the same is true for you!