The Importance of Contacts

Achievement orientated people often make the mistake of thinking that because they perform, they will be noticed by their bosses and based on performance alone, they will be promoted or rewarded.

These same achievers are often amazed that people who are far less focused on the job often seem to end up with the plum jobs or contracts.

Even if an Achiever is slightly introverted or not that socially inclined, they still believe that opportunities will come to them serendipitously, just because they are so good at what they do. Networking and socializing to them is a waste of time.

The bad news is they are wrong, and the longer it takes you to realize that networking is critical to your well-being, the more you stand to lose.

Here’s the lesson: Never stop networking. You cannot afford to.

Keep in touch with those people who you went to school with.

The most important part of the MBA you studied was the contacts you made!

Nurture your contacts. Stay in touch. The day will come when your specific skills are needed in a certain situation. Your contacts will remember that you operate in that field and will be inclined to call on you first because they know you.

You know you are good at what you do. Others don’t. Get out there, network and make sure you do perform well at whatever you are asked to do. They will tell others.

Not engaging in goal directed networking will make you a well- kept, underutilized and underpaid secret.

If you arrive from a different State or area, first do your detailed planning and then get networking.

Your planning should include the following:

· Which business groups should I join that will help me with my career and meaningful business contacts? Start with associations related to what you do for a living. Join them, socialize with the members. Attend meetings and functions. Have your elevator speech ready as well as your business card, and make sure you have a great website. Know that everyone you meet is going to Google you. 

· Social interaction is just as important. Join and support a group, an organization or a number of groups. Deliberately set out to increase your social circle. If you are single, this is really important because everyone knows someone they would like you to meet up with. If you have a partner, work on expanding their contacts as well.

Volunteer to do something meaningful, but make sure it’s something that holds your interest. Your commitment will soon be noticed.

Building relationships takes longer than re connecting with contacts from a few years back, so get onto it and focus on these old and new contacts.

Social media networking is emphasizing the fact that word of mouth referrals about you from others is becoming very important.

You cannot be recommended if you don’t network. (Studies show that 75-80% of users and marketers say Facebook referrals is critically important for business)

Remember, it IS what you know, but it’s also WHO you know!

The first thing Bernard Kirk tells his clients is that the absolute critical factor in any situation is people.

Having the right people doing the right things in the right job is usually the difference between mediocrity and greatness for both the individual and the organization

Throughout his career, Bernard has focused on human behavior and its effect on performance.

With seventeen years of operational management, twenty- two years of strategy implementation for multiple entrepreneurs, professionals, businesses and politicians across the globe, Bernard is regarded by many as an expert in how people affect outcomes.

Bernard’s methods of determining what needs to be done by what type of person and how to select and retain those persons has attracted interest on an international basis. Bernard has consulted in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, medical, recycling, professional, political and academic fields. He lives in Arizona, USA.