From the Bookshelf This is a fortnightly review of bestsellers for business executives Networking with a genuine purpose by Nicole Wong Strong relationships are the foundation for success Most people understand the importance of having an extensive network of contacts if they want to get on in the commercial world. However, in wrongly believing that networking is nothing more than the usual glad-handing and collecting of name cards, they often overlook the value of building more genuine and long-lasting relationships. But other than reaching out to strangers or trying to engineer introductions and contacts, how should we go about extending our circle and finding more people with whom to share our professional and personal success? Keith Ferrazzi, who has been called one of the most "connected" individuals by Forbes and Inc. magazines, provides both insights and practical advice in his book, Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. In explaining diverse topics such as adjusting one's mindset, developing the required skills, winning loyalty and giving back, Ferrazzi shows there should be one guiding principle in all networking – relationships must be genuine to be effective. Mutual need A story from the author's childhood illustrates how making connections is a process of giving and receiving, and that we should never be afraid to ask for help or advice. His father, who was a Pennsylvania steelworker, once mentioned that he wanted his son to have a good education. Hearing this, the company's CEO, Alex McKenna, subsequently helped the younger Ferrazzi get a scholarship to one of the best private schools in America. Instances of such generosity may be rare in the world of business, but the author says that we need each other more than ever in today's competitive landscape: "[a] network functions precisely because there's recognition of mutual need" (p. 16). In addition, knowing our direction in life is a prerequisite for successful networking, as seen in Bill Clinton's rise to fame. As early as 1968, when still a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, he had decided to enter politics. This ambition drove Clinton to record in a notebook the contact details of everyone he met, and he continued to keep track of what they were doing throughout his career. As Ferrazzi points out, the former US president developed a networking strategy with a clear goal in mind and had the sensitivity to make a real connection with others. Overcoming barriers In Never Eat Alone, he gives readers interesting tips on how to turn a new contact into a business partner. These include "warming up" a cold call by identifying mutual affiliations with a Google name search, or calling someone outside office hours as a gesture of friendship. Breaking down barriers requires a real understanding of your contact's interests. This is shown in a story about how Kent Blossil, a Newsweek ad sales representative, would surprise Ferrazzi's secretary with notes and gifts and eventually persuaded her to fix a five-minute meeting with her boss. Having done his research on various business interests, Blossil proposed introducing Ferrazzi to the magazine's editors and invited him to an important conference. This paved the way to a lasting business relationship between the two. Moving beyond that to the level of personal friendship requires an extra degree of trust and sincerity. Ferrazzi experienced this when he spoke about the difficulties he was having in getting over a relationship and soon found that work colleagues understood the trauma involved and became closer friends as a result. It may seem counter-intuitive to think that the "real winners" in the business world would display such vulnerability before co-workers, but the author's insights remind us that we all depend on others and that the building of strong relationships requires openness and sincerity. Content highlights: Relationship building begins with giving and receiving, which requires the right mindset and is grounded in generosity. Practical steps for networking include personalising a cold call and getting executive assistants to use different channels to keep in touch. Establishing real friendship in the business world is possible, if we show ourselves as genuine and unique individuals. About the authors Keith Ferrazzi is founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight, a consulting and training company based in Los Angeles and New York. Previously, he worked in senior positions for Deloitte Consulting, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and YaYa Media. Named as one of the top "40 under 40" business leaders by Crain's Business, his rise to prominence is used as a Stanford Business School case study. He is the founder and chairman of Equality 1st, a foundation focused on giving people an equal chance of success. In addition to Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi has written articles for leading business publications, including Inc., Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal and the Harvard Business Review. He has also been a commentator on CNN and CNBC. "Never Eat Alone cleverly mixes anecdotes with cogent advice and suggests concrete steps readers can take toward improvement" - USA Today. Taken from Career Times 4 November 2005 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]