Networking is the art of building strong meaningful relationships and is something you need to indulge in regularly. It is about people, meeting them and developing relationships that matter.
Networking is not about getting out for an evening, meeting people and seeing what they can do for you.
Feedback is one of those things that is not typically sought out and is often dreaded. What if you could learn to ask for feedback that was actually constructive? AND what if you could learn to give feedback that others actually wanted to listen to? Good or bad!
If you are an aspiring leader who wants to grow and improve, asking for feedback is essential to your growth and giving constructive feedback will help others grow.
Communication is an art. How you communicate your message influences how you are perceived. The how represents 93% of the feelings and attitudes you portray when delivering your message.
Picture this: You observe a tall well-dressed man getting out of his Porsche – this communicates a message and you form an impression.
He begins walking toward you with his shoulders slumped and is expressionless – the initial impression changes.
Why do certain tasks make it to the top of your ‘to-do’ list? What makes them important enough to deserve your time, energy and focus?
For me, it’s deciding that the task is important and I am clear about what the benefits are for me in making it a priority.
Have you ever stopped to think about your communication style and the impact it has on you and your personal brand?
Do you often run on autopilot just falling into conversational habits? Many times not even tuned into the words you are using and how your message is being received. You are more focused on getting your message out and being heard than really making a connection and creating an experience for the other person.
Your brand is an extension of you and an expression of what you stand for. You continually show others who you are through the actions you take and the words you use. Both contribute to the story of your brand and what others believe to be true about you.
Your friends are an extension of who you are. When other people in your life meet your friends they will connect them to your character, your attitude and what you hold important.
With that in mind, consider: how do you describe your friends? How do they treat other people in their lives? How do they see the world? Are they positive, happy, open-minded, adventurous and goal-oriented? Are you?
When you are given an opportunity to shine at work do you get excited and begin to think how you can hit it out of the park or, do you get a bit nervous and begin to second-guess your abilities to succeed?
