Ilkley Business Forum12 November 2014

Lucy Laville, Senior Lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University

Getting the most out of your professional networks…

Networking online

Value of face to face

Every connection counts

Content..

Latest advise on networking – US and European

Tips on Social Media

Value of peer mentoring

How are your social competences bearing up

Best ways to network with contacts…Source: US research based on views of 300 senior managers

Best ways to network with contacts

47% online

25% meeting over lunch orcoffee

13% attending networkingevents

2% participating in sharedpersonal interests

Classic networking mistakes…

42% failure to ask for help

Classic networking mistakes...28% say the biggest blunder is not staying

in touch with contacts

28%

Classic networking mistakes…

17% Failure to thank people for their help

Classic networking mistakes…

7% unwillingness to help others

Classic networking tactics…

6% scorched earth strategy

Knowledge economy

A key characteristic of both traditional professions and new ‘corporate professionalism’ is the development of knowledge. (Gillmore and Williams, 2007; Muzio et al, 2011).

Networking is a key characteristic of developing knowledge and behaviour that helps individuals manage and develop their careers. (Anderson-Gough et al, 2006).

The ultimate goal of networking is to create access to social resources and the building of social capital that will increase knowledge and influence. (Seibert et al, 2001; Anderson-Gough et al 2006).

Social media… Is now mainstream, but too many brands have stopped being social.

Some are blasé ‘social media is simple’ often delivered by interns, but one mistake can impact share price/sales drastically.

Junior members can lack strategic vision/policy which can cause problems.

You need to work harder than ever to get heard above the ‘noise’.

Social media: legislation struggling to keep up but ‘rules’ apply..

Be transparent

Do not mislead

Disclose if you have a commercial intent or paying for content

Never pose as a consumer

Social media allows you to perform best practice quickly…

Check in regularly, don’t just contact your network when you’re at a crossroads, show interest on a continuous basis..

Quick follow-up when you meet people at an event

Build goodwill with a quick response to people in your network

Peer Mentoring..

Offers confirmation, emotional support, personal feedback, professional friendship, enhance professional competences, can be invaluable..

European Communications Monitor 20142,777 senior practitioners across 42 countries..

mentor:

56% had one or more

49% have been a mentor

33% never had a mentor

24% encouraged others to seek out a mentor

18% searched out a mentor

13% part of a mentoring programme

7% engaged with an external mentoring programme

Mentors convey one or more of the following…

76% Personal values and work ethics

66% Strategies to achieve career goals

56% access to networks

56% access to privileged information

(Ranked in order of preference, ECM 2014)

Mentees report a higher job satisfaction:

81% made me think more professionally

72% made me feel more professional

70% increased my empowerment

65% increased my career motivation

62% made me more strategic career progression

(ranked in order of preference, ECM 2014)

So why do so few people have a mentor? (ref ECM 2014)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

one or more mentor

never had a mentor

found my own mentor

Female

Male

Preferred forms of networking (ref ECM 2014)

email39%

social media27%

face-to-face24%

phone10%

Male v female networking behaviour (ref ECM 2014)

05

1015202530354045

Female

Male

The benefits of mentors and networks: Individuals with multiple mentors reap greater career benefits than those having

only one mentor.

The more contacts people can gain at a higher level the more they gain from career sponsorship.

One mentor might provide emotional support and spiritual guidance, another might help with tasks and technical advice, another in coping with organisational politics.

The more mentors the greater the coverage of different types of advice and support.

(Source:Seibert et al, 2001, p233).

Career mentor v career sponsor:

A mentor will talk to you

A sponsor will talk about you!

So how are you going to approach mentoring and networking?

Don’t wait to be invited

A mentor doesn’t have to work in your organisation

Multiple mentors can more beneficial than one

Don’t need to formalise it – it’s often most successful if done ‘loosely’ using ‘weak ties’.

You’re never too old or too experienced to have a mentor

Look out for mentoring opportunities in future – it’s very rewarding

Social competence and skills the most successful managers in a US study spent 70 percent more time

engaged in networking activities and 10 percent more time engage in routine communication activities than their less successful counterparts.

Social perception – accuracy in perceiving others; traits, intentions and motives

Impression management – for inducing positive reactions

Persuasiveness – able to change others’ views or behaviour

Social adaptability – in a wide range of social situations

Expressiveness – to generate enthusiasm in others

Develop your soft skills…

work to find gaps in your arsenal

and then mindfully practice them

Consider being a peer mentored/a peer mentor

Consider what you want to achieve from networking and mentoring, have a strategy and be aware of new ways of doing it..and recognising how other people like to network.

Finally…

Can I help you further – any questions

Thank you for listening

Please keep in contact : via linked in/twitter @LucyLaville email: l.laville@leedsbeckett.ac.uk