4S Model: Steps

The final S of the 4S Model is Steps:  taking the steps to actually move the new, prepared you towards your career goals and aspirations.  The first three (Self, Surroundings, Skills) are about knowing yourself, understanding the environment in which you operate, and assessing and improving your unique skill set.  The fourth S is about creating your personal marketing plan.

Lunch

It's almost always enjoyable to connect with someone over food or coffee.  I really like sitting down with someone over lunch, learning more about the individual's purpose, work, and what makes him or her tick. There are lots of reasons to connect with others, and each type of interaction has its own benefit:

• History. The other person's experience reminds me of things I've done before, maybe not as well, or maybe better


• The Now. We're experiencing the same pains or joys, and compare notes and next moves


• Virtual Travel. I get to take a vicarious journey to an situation or place I've never been (skydiving, anyone?).


• Improvement. We philosophize or have a mental jousting of sorts, sharpening one another with competing logic and new information

I have a very strong preference for the other person to select where we'll have lunch. Very.  There are specific reasons for this:

Professional networking

After I earned my MBA, I joined the Career Services committee of the alumni association.  This year, our focus is to deliver seminars focused on two things:  professional networking and personal performance.  It's how we add value to both the school and alumni - creating a resource where individual can equip themselves for professional success.

The first component of that is called professional networking.  Interesting concept by itself, but we took some time to define it.  Here's what we came up with:

Professional networking is the creation and maintenance of relationships for mutual benefit and advancement, within the context of your own personal and professional goals.

College Connections

You may have noticed this phenomenon as well...Every Autumn, you mysteriously run into people you haven't seen since high school or college.  Sometimes they reach out to you, sometimes you might reach out to them, and sometimes - most times for me - it just happens.

It's November, and I've connected with a few old schoolmates, just like every year.  Some relationships blossom once more, and others end in a warm-hearted remembrance of some shared event before the connection once again fades.

It's always interesting to see where others are, remember what we once were, and ruminate over the changes that happen in life.Here are two general thoughts around this:  one is a bit academic (not a bad thing), and the other is an application.  Let's touch on the academic first.

Harvard Business Review: networking

Harvard Business Review published a couple of  articles this year around networking, and I wanted to share them with you:

"Start Networking Right Away (Even if you hate it)"

• From the January 2009 issue


• Key quote:  "Time spent in the early days building a network will save time down the road when you're trying to solve problems, leverage resources, and achieve success."

"Approach Avoidance"

• From the October 2009 issue


• Key quote:  "find a good role model; put outside interests to work inside the organization; engage with the network consistently, not just when they need help; and have faith that practice will pay off."

Enjoy!

Personal Presentation: Crisp, Conservative, Consistent

Recently I visited a fellow speaker, meeting in person for the first time.  We met at his place of business, had coffee, and talked about his work in the community and with a local business organization.  It was my only in person meeting of the day.

Near the end of our conversation, he asked if I wore a suit every day.  I shared that I do wear a suit every day, as it's easier to take off a jacket & tie than to find yourself under-dressed and in need of a more professional look.  Sometimes it makes people wonder, "who's the guy in the suit?" - and I have a chance to shape their perception from a good starting point.  We even had a short conversation about a very colorful tie I had chosen to wear that day, something that would be appropriate for Easter Sunday.

Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan & Ferrazzi Greenlight

This past week I had the opportunity to attend a small-group training session with Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan, Managing Director of Training & Development at Ferrazzi Greenlight.  If you haven't heard of Ferrazzi Greenlight, it's a firm focused on strategic relationship management headed by one Keith Ferrazzi, bestselling author of Never Eat Alone and Who's Got Your Back.

In a nutshell, the message is this:  demonstrate generosity, intimacy, candor, and accountability.  :)  Of course, the trick is not knowing the four secret words...the trick is knowing what they mean and how they apply to our individual and corporate circumstances.  In our small group, Jeff painted a picture for us of what that might look like, and took us down the path of thinking through specifically how to realize these goals.

Jeff speaks to groups of all sizes, from our group of ten to stadiums of thousands.  He has a great story to share, and is - of all things - authentic.