One of the most powerful tools that we have in the world today is networking. This tool is predicated on the fact that everything that we need or want in this life is already present in the hands of someone who is willing to part with it. Let’s take a practical look at this. Do you need a Job? There is a company that wants to hire, the HR manager is looking for people, he is willing to advertise because he cannot clearly see anybody around him who can fill the need. Is it money? Someone has it in loads and is willing to exchange it for service, that you or someone that you know can provide? Is it happiness? Someone is happy and can show you how. Is it wisdom, someone has sufficient and more to share.
The Law of 250 states, that everybody knows about 250 people. This means that you for example know about 250 people, these people consist of your layer 1. In your layer 2 are the 250 people each, who these 250 people know. This means you have 62,500 people on your layer 2. On your layer 3? – about 15,000,000, by the time you take it to layer 4, you have people in your network approximately the population of the world. This means that you know someone who knows someone who knows whoever you need to meet in the world. This vast network can be converted into career opportunities. The question is How?
Research shows that people will do business or interact with you for only 3 reasons
1. They KNOW you
2. They LIKE you
3. They TRUST you
In every relationship you have with people, it is essential that you build these three factors. Knowledge, likeness and trustwortiness.
Ask yourself, how will people get to know me? What can I do so that people know what I need, what my aspirations are, my goals, my desires? To project the right knowledge about yourself, you must be knowledgeable about yourself. Your interests need to be clear to you and your layer 1 network.
Once people know you, they can interact and perhaps work with you, the next level is for them to like you. Hiring managers for example look for skills, but hire the skilled person that is likeable. This is not about the social mirror of “what do they think about me?”, but you should strive to have a likeable attitude. Show genuine concern for other people’s needs, be a friend, be supportive, smile, be emphatic, be likeable.
Trust is what you build with time. It’s like having an account. Every time you live up to or beyond expectations, you make a deposit in the other persons trust account. Trust is a responsibility. Faithfulness in little things credits you with more trust. It’s being consistently true to your words, it’s being consistent, it’s being truthful in the face of difficulties. The more people trust you, the more they are willing to help you or support your cause.
Everybody you know is a door into a world of opportunities. Learn how to knock gently.
