Quick Tips to Successful Networking Milton B. Amayun, MD, MPH CCIH Annual Conference Buckeystown, MD May 24-26, 2008

Be genuinely interested  Networking is based on human relationships.  Remember that people make up organizations – each staff member is on a journey within it, and each organization has its ups and downs.  Be open to learn and to make new friends.

Recognize the time element  Be prepared to invest time in building relationships…  …yet be sensitive to taking up so much of others’ time.  Invest time according to your level of interest in the network.  Meetings take time…before, during and after; plan your participation for best results.  The best networking relationships are built over time – incrementally.

Do your homework  Read about the organization, the people, the issue or the group you want to relate with.  Ask others you already know about regarding the value of the network.  Annual reports and newsletters are particularly helpful.  Identify networking goals when attending meetings and conferences.  Note: Networking is often the primary goal of many people who attend conferences, not content.

Be yourself  Know your strengths and potential contributions to the network.  Identify issues you want to know more of.  Analyze your positions on controversial issues; some discussions can be very volatile.  Be respectful of other’s points of view: you may have to disagree more privately, rather than in front of a big group.  Overcome your shyness by showing genuine interest in people and issues; people respond to sincerity.

Make good use of networking tools  Enroll in listserves.  Have a good supply of name cards.  Sign up for Skype; participate in conference calls.  Respond to s.  Contribute to discussions actively.  Schedule targeted one-on-one meetings during conferences.

When meeting new people…  It is better to get to know just a few with some depth.  If time is short, exchange calling cards and ask permission to call or a question.  Find common references to speed up getting to know each other – mutual friends, items of interest, experiences, etc.  Break barriers fast by greeting people from other countries in their language.  Probe people’s views by asking, “Do you agree with…” or “What do you think of…”

Deal with the aftermath of event  Send an or call to follow up.  Keep the conversation going.  Identify your preferred networks; attend the same meetings year after year.  Over time, explore opportunities to expand on the professional relationship.

Keep the network going  Become friends as well as colleagues.  To stay in a network, one must add actively to the knowledge of and within the network.  Join, establish, expand working groups or caucuses on issues of interest.  Carry your own share of the burden – even financially.

Networking is like a voyage…  Expect some rough times; it will not always be smooth sailing.  The more you invest in it, the more you get out of it.  There will be times of hard work as well as celebration.