Why the biggest obstacle to effective networking is you.

I had lunch a few weeks ago with Frank, a senior HR Manager who was in between jobs and generally seeking advice about the market. The organisation he had been working for was wound down and, as all good HR Managers do, he was the last to turn the lights off, lock the door, wander out and then start his job search. He had a holiday, rode his motorbike, did a few contracts, let his wife work hard, but a year on he felt it time to start looking for a job in earnest.

Over lunch he asked me “I’ve applied for a few jobs, some I’m not even shortlisted for so was wanting to check to see if all that stuff about networking, is still important to do?”

There was a pregnant pause. “I assume that question is rhetorical Frank?” I replied.

“Well, that’s a pretty clear answer!” he laughed.

The message here is simple. Networking is critical, and even seasoned managers find it difficult to do.

You see, networking itself isn’t hard. Removing the barriers in your own mind is.

Frank is one of the most humble, values driven people I know. He’s all about giving to others. This is a wonderful asset and his greatest strength. It is also his weakness as he overplays this strength. Frank thinks that networking is about taking and that he is imposing on others. His perspective only shifted when I pointed out to him that people will derive great value from conversations with him…but he has to pick up the phone and make those appointments.

Let’s reframe it entirely. It's not networking. It's relationship building.

Oh, and by the way, if Frank calls you, have a coffee with him – he’s a great guy.

Why your relationships will be tested this year

Reading the weather warnings current for Australia the other day really made me realise what a harsh country we live in. Not many countries would have fire and flood warnings across all their states. I wouldn’t swap it for anywhere else though.

The economic climate shows similarly signs of it being a tough year, although fortunately there aren’t any ‘severe’ warnings out there. The last few years have been similarly tough, in fact, since the GFC of 2008 the business environment has been challenging. During this time many individuals have faced difficulties, whether it being as severe as being retrenched or needing help with their job. Many of us have called in favours from people we know such as asking for advice, seeking leads for job opportunities, or sharing leads.

The challenge I see for the year ahead is that many individuals have used up a great deal of social capital, that is, the goodwill in their networks. And many people are going to need more help in the year ahead which will test the strength of the relationships we have with people. This doesn’t mean don’t ask, in fact, you don’t know the strength of a relationship until it is strained, but be conscious you don’t push it too far.

My advice is to redouble your efforts of what you put into your relationships. We all have something to give – advice, ideas, contacts, leads, content, emotional support – and now is the time to give more. Who you give to won’t be exactly who you’ll receive from, but the law of abundance works in mysterious ways. The more you give the more you’ll get back…you just don’t know when, from whom, or how. That’s part of the enjoyment of our working life.

Are your Staff Expendable?

Last week I had the privilege of speaking at the NSW Local Government HR Conference and the theme was on how to employ, enthuse and engage staff. Like many industries, the local government sector is facing rapid change. The conference highlighted a number of key impacts upon organisations, which are applicable across all industries. A key focus was how these impacts affect staff and how organisations need to be cognisant of potential fallout when letting staff go.

Expendable – that’s how staff may be viewed in these tough economic times. I’ve written before about the faces and stories behind every person retrenched, but what of the organisations that are undergoing change? They too may suffer negative impacts. For example:

• Damage to brand. In today’s socially adroit media landscape, fingers do the talking. If an organisation doesn’t care for its people, word will get around. Well-articulated and meaningful mission statements and conduct policies are important. More importantly, they mean you must walk the talk.

• Loss of talent resulting in knowledge and experience gaps. Losing good workers is a reality of retrenchments, but remember that losing exceptional staff may impede organisational recovery. Treat your people well: Both those who are leaving and those who are staying. You never know when previous employees’ knowledge and experience may be a valuable addition in future.

• Increased costs when the organisation needs to re-hire. Don’t burn bridges. Respectfully maintain professional relationships with past employees, as you never know when they may be keen to re-join the organisation in future, which reduces your hiring costs.

It’s simple: Look after your people – they are the business, and contribute to its brand, intellectual capital and relationships. When times are tough, think of other ways to tighten the belt as opposed to saving money fast through making positions redundant.

A World Beyond Labels.

I recently read an insightful piece by the Qld and NT Branch of the Australian Institute of Management that focussed on people living with disabilities. There is a necessity to tap into the array of skills and experiences people who live with a disability or mental illness can bring to current and future business opportunities.

Numbered are the days of building relationships with people living with disabilities or mental illness based on compassion. The future is now focussing on tapping into a variety of unique and valuable skills that these cohorts are able to bring to areas such as new technologies and a rapidly ageing population. More on this important topic here.

Australia's CEO Challenge

One of the most enriching parts of my career is having the pleasure of working with people who inspire others to make a difference. Trevor-Roberts’ Executive Director – Client Development Deborah Wilson plays a key role in Australia’s CEO Challenge to help raise awareness through workplaces to end domestic violence in our society.

This year, Deborah is working with business owner of Ultimate Body Transformations David Richter. Dave is passionate about making a positive difference in the world and has teamed up with Australia’s CEO Challenge and Rowena McEvoy to help raise awareness for the issue of domestic violence in Australia.

David is hosting a breakfast with Rowena McEvoy as the key speaker. Australia’s CEO Challenge Executive Director Wendy Reid will also talk about ending domestic violence.

Don’t miss your chance to join the audience of what promises to be a great morning. More details and booking information here.

Supporting those affected by Government redundancies

The word redundancy increasingly resonates with Australians as it continues to feature prominently in the media cycle. You may be experiencing a redundancy personally or, more than likely, know of somebody who is.

Career transition can be a challenging time. Institutions such as the Queensland State Government provide Transition Support Services through their Enhanced Employee Assistance Scheme and the federal government has provided a small amount of funding for job expos.

Trevor-Roberts can also help you, your colleagues, friends and family members by providing career transition support. This may involve identifying their career direction, developing a targeted job search strategy, writing an effective resume or enhancing interview skills.

We have created a Government Redundancies Resource Pod to assist individuals during this challenging time.

Please share this information with anybody you think will benefit from additional support as they experience or are involved at any level with career transition. Feel free to Contact us anytime with questions about how we can support you and others.

Why your brand is as important as a company's brand

First, apologies to all my loyal readers for being quiet for the last few months. If you've been on our website, you'll see that we launched our new brand about two weeks ago. While very time consuming, it was incredibly rewarding to invest the time to analyse what we stand for how we want to position ourselves in the market. Have a look at www.trevor-roberts.com.au.

This process, of course, made me think about our own brand. It has been ten years since we have made conscious decisions about Trevor-Roberts' brand or made any changes. In fact in our 18 year history we have never undergone a formal branding process!

Every company, and every person needs a periodic reassessment of their brand and position in the market. When is the last time you've done this?

Here are a few questions to guide your thinking:

1. Where do you want to be in 5 years?
2. How do you want people to describe you in 5 years?
3. What visual cues do you need to change to achieve this? For example, online profiles such as LinkedIn, resume, associations you belong to
4. How do you need to behave differently?

I read an article last week that one of the top three ways to waste a company's marketing budget is to spend it on pure branding. The argument is that a brand is built by every small interaction with your product or service.

The same applies to us. Your personal brand is the sum total of every interaction you have with people. Make sure they are good!