I have been going to “off-line” networking meeting for the past 2 years and would like to share some observations.
Each network group is more or less self regulating; people are going there to do business but not expecting to do it directly, There is generally no direct sales but it is a process of getting to know the various network members. By establishing your reputation, you can impress other members to refer you to their own personal network. As a result of attending the meetings, you get to know them, but also, know their personality, their business, credibility and the relevance of their personal network.
Each network group has a group of core members and there is a peripheral group who are newer but have not established within. People of the newer group still have got to know the others but it is because of the desire to do business, they learn to adapt to the rules of the network group. In general, these rules have been described in Penny Power’s book, “Know me, Like me, Follow me” where their mindset is Open, Random and Supportive (ORS). One of the best analogies of networking is “farming”. You are sowing your seeds by establishing yourself in the network and you harvest it when you have established yourself in the network. Direct sales is described as “hunting”.
I have always wondered what happens when a “newbie” to networking, who has a different mindset – “Closed, Selective and Controlling” (based on Penny Power’s book), comes to a networking group. How do members respond?
In ORS, we try to collaborate as it is a win-win situation but suppose, a comment like “I do not collaborate with my competitors” is made.
In ORS, we concentrate on raising the strengths of our network members are they are own partners but suppose, a comment like “I find “AN Other” very aggressive and unreliable”. As a group, we know this is totally contrary to our knowledge of this person’s personality.
In ORS, we find out the skills of others so we know how we could fit in, but suppose a comment like “I am an expert of “XXX”” and talks about the “expertise”. It so happens, in that meeting, there is a world renown expert who says to himself, “that does not work”.
Just like in a village, back chatter happens. Conversation between members about the statements are made. Not surprising, comments go out to support the aggrieved and questions are raised about the newcomer. It is all about having ORS mindset.
There is order in the unregulated network meetings.
Dr Michael Oon
