Be willing....

Willing:
1 : inclined or favorably disposed in mind : ready

Inclined
1 : having inclination, disposition, or tendency

Big meaning for a small word. In short this means you have to be set at the factory to be favorably disposed in MIND. Mind first. First dude. First.

For where the mind leads the heart will follow.

If your mind aint into 'willing' then you aint into willing. Game over.
So if networking is going to really serve YOU then YOUR mind has to be factory set a certain way.

Is it? Are you naturally inclined to give? Are you the one who enjoys secret acts of kindness?

Do you enjoy giving AND absorbing?

Willing to learn is more than a simple, over-stated rule, it is one of the key ingredients (recall there are three) to networking. In fact, it may be THE most crucial rule since the others revolve around this one.

Most people see themselves as good students but seldom are. Rather, they want to be more a part of the teaching session than the learning session. Often, these are the folks who know more about others business than the other. (?) They tend to present ideas about how the other guy can do his job better or ideas of marketing that surely no one else thought of. (?) (?)= sarcasm

Enter "Dance" : As fellow networkers we dance with one another. Music is seldom playing. The dance has a rhythm wherein the flow, if-you-wish, is between two members who exchange, in theory, concepts, ideas and data about their own business so that the other person in the dance has a better idea of who/what/how the other does his job. This exchange has a two-fold purpose with ONE goal. To help each other know more about the other so that each can then search (and this means activiely search) for solid referrals for the other.

The dance also allows each other to enter into a deeper relationship and to begin forming a type of friendship. From my own experience I can share that nothing is more valuable than two business 'friends' who are netWORKING for each other. I am a salesman in sorts for some 45 people. D-A-I-L-Y!

So it is in a dance we are willing to learn.

This would seem obvious but it is not. I have been in a dance wherein the other fellow would bounce in and out of the conversation. While 'in' we talked about him or he told me what I should be doing. While 'out' he looked around the room and was involved mentally with whatever it was he was thinking or seeing. He even made a self centered comment about MY ideas. No relationship was formed because he was not WILLING TO LEARN.

I was willing to learn and I learned he has no intention of helping me... or you...or himself. He is a vampire.

Dances done right are priceless. Dances done wrong are costly.

Hear me clear: networking goes both ways and the good and the bad get spread. Our dance resulted in my stopping any and all work I was/am capable of stopping based....on what I learned during our dance.

Rude? Hardly. I send my fellow networkers into homes or offices of my current clients/friends/family and if Mr Bounce has the inclined nature to ignore his part with me he will do so with the very folks I expose him to. That would embarrass me and cause me grief I simply do not need.

He was not willing to learn. I was and did. Game over Mr Bounce.

As time passes I will speak with others about this dance and my experience and in his stead, I have another who does the same job as his...and they will get the referral.

This may shock some...get over it. Either learn to network right or keep cold calling. Networking has nothing to do with YOUR business and everything to do with everyone else first. First dude. First.

Most new networkers see networking as a captive group to sell product to. And never figure out why they are doing worse.

Be willing to learn. Willing will lead to profit.

In order to learn we must:

Be Willing To Listen