Networking Naturally or How To Make Your Own Luck

When I look back at points in my career, both as an employee and as a small biz owner, I notice places where I "got lucky," when something really good happened. Only, to be honest, I didn't "get lucky." I made my luck. And you can, too.

Some examples:

• Within a month of being laid off from US WEST, I was working at Lucent Technologies, with better pay and more opportunities. At the time, I was an engineer with two small children and the major breadwinner for my family. When I was notified of my layoff, I was given less than a day's notice to clean out my office. I found my position at Lucent from a friend of a friend.
• I have given advice for a New York Times column, Shifting Careers, which later became a popular career blog. Six months prior, I had emailed an author who I admired, Dan Pink, asking for a networking meeting while he was in town for a speaking engagement. Dan wasn't able to meet, but we kept in contact. A couple of months later, he referred me to a book that I might be interested in, One Person, Multiple Careers by Marci Alboher. I emailed Marci, and we hit it off. I arranged for her to speak about her book to my college alumni group in Denver. (That's me, on the left, with Marci.) A month later, she was hired by the New York Times to write a career column and soon after that, Marci invited me to give advice as part of a "coaches roundtable."
• I've received coaching and consulting contracts worth tens of thousands of dollars, unexpectedly, from people I didn't know at all or knew only slightly. In one case, I can trace the connection back to sitting at a kitchen table, early in the morning, after a late night of partying with friends at a high school reunion. Across the table from me was my friend's stepfather, whose house I was staying in, and who I had not seen in nearly two decades. He asked me about my business. After talking, he took a tattered business card from his wallet. Not his card, but his son's card, who happened to live in Denver, and who was a VP at one of the largest student loan originators in the country. I contacted the son, and several months later, I had the first of many coaching and consulting contracts with the company. Photo by jenn_jenn
• I've been blessed to have mentoring since day one of starting my business, from one of the premier thinkers on servant leadership. This opportunity came from someone who spoke at a conference I attended. Yet I didn't attend this person's session, nor did I meet him at the conference. Instead, I followed up with this person later, after seeing a summary of the session he had given and being intrigued by the topic. In a subsequent phone call, this same person said, "You really should meet my friend, Richard."  Richard, pictured here, has been a mentor ever since.  

Starting to get the idea of how to create your own luck? Yes, networking has been a major factor in find a job, getting hired as a consultant and coach, connecting with a valuable mentor, and gaining national visibility in my field.

If you've been mystified by how good things seem to just happen to certain people, you'll want to sign up for my new program, Networking Naturally: Less Stress, More Joy, Better Results, a series of four teleseminars, starting on April 8.  You'll learn the principles that successful networkers follow. Other topics covered:

• April 8.   Myths and Beliefs: What You Aren’t Conscious of Can Hurt You!
• April 15. Creating a Meaningful Conversation: What Do I Say?
• April 22. Etiquette, Systems, and Structures:  How Do I Develop Lasting Connections?
• April 29. Integrating Online With In-Person Networking: How Do I Put It All Together?

Photo by respres

I've purposely made this program affordable ($37) so that more people can take advantage of it, when the need for networking skills has never been greater.

Space is limited and this introductory price won't be available after registration closes. To register, go to www.naturalway2network.com

If you are interested in one-on-one coaching to increase the ROI on your networking efforts, check out the Rocky Mountain PBS auction starting on April 1, www.rmpbsauction.com. I've donated a three session package that's worth $900. I'll cover some of the same topics as the Networking Naturally Program, but go into more depth and tailored to your specific needs. If you are in the Denver area, this includes accompanying you to a networking event and playing "angel on your shoulder" during the event.   

So, what you are you waiting for? Start down the road of creating your own luck today.