As the ‘CEO of our Career’ we’re responsible for the Sales and Marketing and Branding of ourselves and our services to the wider world. In fact, we could think of ourselves as our very own ‘Head of Sales & Marketing’ when we’re busy networking.
But what if we update that title a bit? What could happen if instead, we start thinking of ourselves as ‘Head of Solutions‘ whenever we’re in networking mode?
Far too many people in networking mode practically scream ‘What’s in it for me?’ when they reach out to us. (It’s one of the reasons why we try to end the conversation with them as quickly as possible.)
So let’s try raising our networking game with a few simple tweaks: What if we demonstrate a little more trust (by helping) and a little less agenda? You know, a little more give and a lot less take. What might our impact be if we were to ask sincere, relevant questions, and then listen with presence and attention, and then offer concrete suggestions and thoughtful solutions?
And then, how might people think and feel about our personal brand?