Networking is a standard operating procedure for anyone who wants to thrive in modern business. There was a time when this was called having a list of contacts, the old boy network or you happened to know somebody from school or had a third cousin who knew somebody who could put you in touch with the right person.
Nowadays it's a science and Carol Harris explores it from the perspective of neuro-linguistic programming (the NLP of the title). NLP covers three terms: neuro (how we use our minds); linguistic (how we communicate our experience of the world) and programming (the patterns we follow in everyday life).
Basically, researchers found that successful people exhibited certain patterns of behaviour and that these could be replicated to achieve similar results.
According to Ms Harris, to be a competent networker you have to possess certain key skills which she has divided into self-management; impression management; face-to-face communications which includes speech and language, conversation, rapport, influence and assertiveness and non-verbal communications and lastly, distance networking.
Ms Harris describes network ing as "the creation, development and use of personal contacts for mutual benefit, or the benefit of others". In other words, you have to go along to get along.
Most of us network unconsciously. We have friends or acquaintances built up over the years whom we can call on for favours or help in the course of our work. Some of these may be friends whose support is sought in other ways also, especially in times of trouble outside of works.
Many of us would be appalled if someone attached the label "network" to our friends and colleagues but we have all availed of their support in various ways as they have availed of ours.
What makes this book slightly uncomfortable at first glance is the scientific approach it takes to breaking down how networking functions. Each chapter is divided into sub-sections and the whole structure seems to cover every aspect of the skill to the nth degree.
We learn how to identify our networks; how to manage them and how to decode non-verbal signals. Image management is stressed as is the need tenderly to cultivate your network.
Where the book falls down is in its sometimes dense language and the use of occasionally twee "real-life" situations to illustrate points, but it will certainly tell you all you need to know about networking and how to make it work for you.
comidheach@irish-times.ie
