Change is not necessarily easy, but it is needed to shift us from the complacency of our comfort zone to a realm of possibilities that will remain unknown unless we reposition ourselves to achieve personal and professional success. Our lives and the world around us are changed by a multitude of little acts of love – something as simple as a smile, a kind word or a willingness to listen. No one is meant to live or exist in a vacuum without human contact and compassion. Whether we realize it or not, we are all interconnected and dependent upon others to succeed in relationships and in life.
How we acquire better lives is not very mysterious. It comes back to making better choices, beginning with the most important choice of all: with whom should we connect and how? Whom will we listen to, the foolish person who builds a house on the sand, or the wise person who builds on a solid foundation that will always guide us to a higher place?
Whether we desire to meet someone new for the purpose of friendship, mentorship, partnership or relationships of mutual benefit in the workplace, it all begins with knowing how to hone the necessary skills to network effectively.
Here is a checklist that you can print and use to assist in relationship building. Beside the following effective networking skills, mark an “X” to evaluate and indicate the areas where you need the most improvement. In the space below each skill, write one thing you can do now to become more proficient in that specific area.
Effective Networking Skills:
___ Asking open-ended questions
___ Concentrating on what others are saying
___ Showing sincere interest in others
___ Keeping an open mind to what is being said
___ Sharing your opinions and views
___ Asking for help
___ Offering assistance
___ Being knowledgeable in a particular area
___ Letting others know who you are
___ Dressing to convey you are serious about your goals
___ Using your body language in conjunction with your words
___ Sharing your knowledge and expertise
To develop personal or professional friendships or relationships of any kind requires intentional effort, honesty and vulnerability. Being open and willing to assert ourselves with a level of integrity as well as transparency may not be easy at first. However, the more we practice these people skills, the more experience and proficiency we will gain along the way. We don’t even have to make huge changes all at once. Rather, we can just commit, one day at a time, to changing our thoughts and following through with the necessary actions to experience the peaceful and successful life we desire and deserve.
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