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Networking doesn't have to come to an end as a result of social isolation.
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Looking back at my blog on networking in 2017, I think it’s time and timely to update. In light of a growing pandemic, it’s also more important to practice the art of networking online.
Essentially, the same basic principles apply.
- Be yourself.
- Take quick notes as you find information about the person through LinkedIn or on other platforms.
- Ask good questions if you can chat online or meet virtually.
- If you see an article that might be of interest to someone, share it with them.
- Use LinkedIn to acknowledge work anniversaries or birthdays.
- Message the person when you invite them to connect on LI.
At some point, we will be going back to meeting people face to face and looking them in the eye. When that happens, make sure your body reflects genuine interest and you make eye contact. You might also be interested in some tips that Michael Hughes, (www.NetworkingForResults.com) has on offer
In late February, I had the good fortune to attend a session put on by the Kanata-Carleton Small Business Network at RBC on Hazeldean Road. This five-year-old network provides resources for small business owners in the region. They invited Michael Hughes as their speaker. Within 5 minutes, he had the audience mesmerized. Michael took networking to the next level.
I learned a lot. Michael helped me reconceptualize and understand how networking was really a leveraging strategy. Through extensive research and practice, he has put together a model to manage the social process of networking. Apparently, after the initial second, individuals only have 25 seconds to really capture interest. For this reason, it is essential that business owners are able to articulate their value proposition quickly, ideally in 15 words or less.
Much of what he shared with the audiences added greatly to my understanding:
- Business is about results; results arise from opportunities; opportunity arises from relationships.
- A relationship is defined as the intentional process of creating and developing connections from initial contact to ultimate outcome.
- Always offer something as a contribution to the relationship.
The session inspired me to rethink how important that first impression is and how best to manage it. I have returned to my notes frequently as I’ve been meeting new people online. I want to make sure that the connection is friendly and inviting.
Today, with the onset of COVID-19, I am trying to reframe what I learned to apply to our new reality... self-isolation. Working from home but still trying to develop relationships out of opportunities online. It's a new challenge but these truths still apply: build trust, be visible and show your value. Thank you, Michael. You left me with lots to practice, in real-time and online.
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Boomers were taught to be modest and let their actions do the talking. Today, that approach simply won't work.
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If you read Debra’s article about branding after the age of 50, you will have some insight into the many challenges I encountered when starting up Top Sixty. Barely three months had passed before I realized that I had no desire to sell myself or my ideas on social media. In fact, I had such an aversion to it, I almost sunk my mission before I started.
Growing up, my generation was not invited to ‘brag’ about any of our achievements. Quite the contrary. We were advised to be humble; to let our actions speak for themselves. We didn’t get stars, prizes, or stickers for any mediocre performance or just because we were part of ‘the team’. Many of us were told to do better next time or just keep on trying. It’s not hard for me to understand why Boomers have a hard time wrapping their heads around putting themselves out there on social media.
Truthfully, as an educator, I can see the value of acknowledging the efforts children make, even if they are not always ‘winners’. But too much praise in the wrong place is as damaging to one’s self-esteem as too little. Having said this, I believe the self-confidence of many Boomers would have benefitted from a boost had their parents praised them a bit more often. But that wasn’t the Zeitgeist of the time.
I digress. My point has to do with the concept of branding and grasping what it means to have a personal brand. If you look at the two photos of me at the top of this blog, you will see that one is of a woman dressed in local Mayan attire. The other was a shot taken for professional purposes. Which one do you think is the one I want to show up on my website, if one is necessary at all?
(Aside: it took some considerable convincing from Debra for me to put this blog together and use these shots of me).
I think the pictures speak for themselves and illustrate well that a personal brand demonstrates in a picture how you want to be perceived by your audience. You can choose a goofy picture which tells the story of someone who doesn’t take herself too seriously and enjoys having some fun, or one that speaks to a more believable individual whose product or service you would consider seriously.
The very hardest obstacle, in my opinion, is becoming a public persona at an older age. I am learning that in order to be credible in the 2020s, you must show up on social media. It is impossible to avoid public scrutiny online despite your predilection to avoid it. And your personal brand is as important after age 50 as it was when you were younger. Until marketers began using the terminology, those of us who are Boomers never thought of our public personas as ‘personal branding'. Take it from me, I know!
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There is considerable irony in job ads that proudly pronounce the employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE/AA) while also including words that reflect anything but!
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There is considerable irony in job ads that proudly pronounce the employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE/AA) but the words in the ad reflect anything but! Recently, I came across one that epitomized this scenario. See if you can spot the bias. For the sake of anonymity, I have changed references but the essence remains.
“Young, enthusiastic person with good marketing skills and technical acumen.
- 8-10 years of work experience
- Manufacturing expertise is preferred
- ETC.”
Yup, you got it. The very first word was discriminatory and yet this was an ad from an EOE/AA certified business.
Imagine starting an ad with “white” rather than “young”? Would that have alerted anyone more quickly to the fact that there was bias? It would have been considered shocking in today’s world. However, when references are made to age, no one seems to notice.
Unfortunately, this kind of discrimination is pervasive. Ageism continues to be widely accepted and is so well-tolerated that we often don’t recognize our own internal bias.
Many organizations and businesses are allegedly inclusive. No doubt they are as long as you are indigenous, LBGTQ2S, a woman, disabled, an immigrant or refugee, and ethnically diverse. But, if you are over a certain age and looking for work or you want to stay in your job, you can be sure that your age will come into play.
Age discrimination in both retention and recruitment is a serious obstacle. An American study involving 40,000 fictitious CVs sent in response to advertised vacancies for low-skilled jobs found that applicants between 49 and 51 had 19% fewer callbacks than those aged 29 to 31 with otherwise identical CVs. For the 64-66 age group, the difference was 35%. Source: Age Discrimination and Hiring of Older Workers, Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco 2017
What is most troubling is the lack of awareness about age diversity and inclusion. Routinely age is not part of the conversation, nor will it ever be if we don’t start to make a fuss and take ageism out of the closet.
Here are a few tips that will help you make a difference:
- Observe the types of diversity being advertised. If age is missing, bring it to the attention of the advertiser.
- Write to your local MPP or MP to raise their awareness of this gap in diversity and inclusion.
- If you are currently employed, check out your employer’s diversity policies. Is age included?
With the shift to an older demographic, ageism is more topical than ever before. We all have a role to play in its elimination.
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This strategic course provides insights and tools for intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs to help them maintain their career momentum. Using best practices from research in psychometrics, change management, design thinking and resilience training, participants will learn how to take initiative, spot opportunity and engage in creative problem-solving processes. ReSet provides a practical guide to bolstering strengths and enhancing the benefits of experience. 
