Management Skills—Networking: increase your ROI

Networking requires an investment of time, money and effort.
Here are four ways to be sure your return on that investment
is worthwhile.

Decide what you want

Why are your attending networking events? Are you looking
for a new job? More business? Social contacts in a new home
town? Whatever your purpose, stay focused on it, or things
can slide into just another long lunch.

Attend the right event

If you are, say, a graphic designed looking for clients, why
spend your time at an event for graphic designers? OK, you
might be able to pick up some overload business from some
designer who is super busy, but that's a very small poor to
fish in. You'd be much better off mixing with folks from
businesses who use design work. Seems obvious, but it's
surprising how many people make this mistake.

Talk to the right people

Don't spend your valuable networking time chatting to people
you already know, who ar not in your traget group. It's
tempting, of course, because it's easy and fun—but it's not
networking! Look for new people and make the effort to meet
and greet them.

Keep track of your results

Every month or so, track back through your networking
opportunities. Who did you meet? Where did you meet them?
How did they fit with your reasons for being there? Did
anyone help you achieve your objective?

Of course, you'll also meet people who are pleasant
additions to your social circle, some of whom may even
become friends. Do include them in your success picture, but
if you find you make more casual acquaintances than the
people you are there to meet, you may need to change your
networking activites so that they bring you a higher Return
On Investment.

Presentation skills—essential management skill

Public speaking: it's enough to send shivers up the spines of most of the population. But in business today, it's a normal part of the job. A few years ago, only people at a certain level in a company were asked to make presentations, but that's no longer the case. In an informal survey of my readers who are administrative assistants, for example, the majority said they were routinely asked either to make formal presentations or to give an informed opinion at a meeting, without notice.

I have been conducting presentation skills workshops for many years, and they are one of my most rewarding activities. That's because I can see the confidence levels of participants rise as they learn to gather and organize their thoughts, put them into a concise, practical format, and deliver their message effectively. If you would like to have me in to work with your people, drop me a line at hwilkie@mhwcom.com or call 416-966-5023.

If that's not practical for you, there is another way. Toastmasters. People all over the world have benefited from this first class organization, and now companies are opening up their own in-house Toastmaster clubs. Follow the link below to read about Dell Canada's success story.

However you do it, though, it's vital that you hone your presentation skills if you want to succeed in your career.

Dell Canada's Toastmasters story

Management skills: Challenge of the Multilingual Workforce

There are many issues that face companies generally that also face managers and department heads on a smaller scale. This article from HR Magazine deals with one such issue: the multilingual workforce.

As you'll see when you click on the link below and read this article, there are many situations in a variety of workplaces where lack of understanding because of linguistic difficulties can cause misunderstandings, and even affect workplace safety. I recommend you read the article and then consider it from the standpoint of your own department.

Do you have even one person in your group whose native tongue is not English? That person may sound fluent, and you may have assumed he or she always understands everything that is going on. But what if you're wrong? What if mistakes are being made because the person is unwilling to speak up about a language difficulty?

As a manager, you need to be aware of these situations and take action. This is part of the vital "people skills" aspect of management. Check out the article, and feel free to post your comments below.

Multilingual workforce

Management skills: Morale suffers in impersonal workplace

This illuminating article from the Chicago Sun Times comments on a recent poll on the subject of employee morale. Everyone, it seems, agrees that morale is down. Almost everyone also seems to agree on the reasons for this, prime among which is poor communication from the top. So why is nothing being done about it?

I wrote my book, "The Hidden Profit Center—a tale of profits lots and found through communication", to point out the enormous financial cost of poor communication. Some senior executives got the message and I have spoken on the subject to their people and helped them understand what they can do.

The article says, "Many high- and mid-level executives today are under too much pressure and moving too fast to take the time to communicate directly and personally with workers and give them understanding, insight and a preview of company policies and progress." That's true, and it's costing them huge amounts of money, employee turnover being just one of the factors.

As a manager, even if only of a small group of people, you need to take the time and make the effort to communicate with your people all the time.

Here's the link to the rest of the story: Morale suffers in impersonal workplace

Answer questions with respect

Here's a piece of advice from the weekly tips of my friend and fellow speaker, Kelley Robertson. If you are not in sales, don't skip over this. Instead, think about the way you respond to questions from your subordinates and colleagues, and how you might be inadvertently souring your relationships with them. Here's the article.

I can’t get over how often employees make their customers feel stupid. It usually happens when the customer is unfamiliar with, or lacks knowledge of, the product they need or want. The employee is asked a “stupid” question and their tone often has a sarcastic tone while their body language shows frustration. In their attempt to “educate” their customers, they come across as condescending and superior. Here’s an example,
I recently tackled some home renovations (I’m the first to admit that this is NOT my primary area of expertise). I needed a few tools and when I asked the store employee how to use them, he spoke to me like I had left my brain at home. It was obvious he forgot that not all men are “Handy Andy’s.”
His actions cost the company that sale along with any other possible future sale from my household. I’m sure he didn’t intend this, but nonetheless, I will never, ever consider buying from that company or recommend it to anyone I know.
You may know everything about your product or service but just because your customer doesn’t, does not mean they are stupid. Watch your tone EVERYTIME you talk to your customers and prospects.

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, and employee motivation. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers.” For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine available at his website. You can also contact Kelley at 905-633-7750 or email him directly at Kelley@robertsontraininggroup.com.