Elena Vavilova and Andrei Bezrukov - Networking for secret service agents.
Preface Intelligence is networking
Networking is the creation of external social connections to achieve success in life and career. A scout is a professional networker who is engaged in finding connections and building relationships. Networking takes up most of his time every day.
Chapter one. Networking tools
Tasks to be solved:
- Undercover work
- Creating a network of contacts
A scout's main weapon is his connections. Network map - graphical display of your connections. Network density - how connected your contacts are. The high density of the network does not reflect well on development, it needs to be diluted. For intelligence, a low network density is optimal so people don't interact with each other.
Three levels of relationship:
- First circle: family and friends
- The second circle: the productivity circle
- The third circle: the circle of development, which should be filled, and people who can be useful should move into the circle of productivity
Three rules of networking:
- Find around connectors and build a good relationship with them
- Capacitors, those who accumulate information, if you build a relationship with them correctly, they can share information
- Bridges and gatekeepers, those who give or deny us access to the people we need
Chapter two. Networking strategy
Divide your goals into four categories:
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Finances
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Health
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Family life
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Personal growth
Write down the goals you need to achieve in each of the sectors. Mention those who can help you earn more. Write where you can find such people and who can help you get to know them.
Divide your contacts into groups. If you don't have enough contacts, spend more time working with connectors.
In order to build relationships with status people, you will need a lot of effort. Since such people are mostly older, it is difficult to find common interests with them. Finding interests that bridge that distance is the essence of upward networking.
30% of contacts forget about you every year. You need to develop a network of contacts with this 30% in mind.
From quantity to quality: As quantity is achieved, more and more time must be spent on the quality of your network.
Chapter three. First contact
Contacts are divided into two categories:
- Prepared
- Spontaneous
The ideal scenario of the first contact is an introduction. The person should introduce you personally. Ask questions so that your interlocutor can feel his importance and status.
How to overcome the fear of the first contact? Everyone feels fear. It's like skydiving - knowing the statistics is on your side.
During contact, two tasks are solved: how to get the object interested in you, and how not to provoke rejection. You should not impose yourself during the first contact. Look recognizable, a person should understand what you do by looking at you. Put aside your "ego" and focus on your interlocutor. Try to almost love him.
Emotional intelligence:
Focus on how well a person can work with their own emotions and the emotions of other people. A person's ability to understand others on an emotional level has a greater impact on his career advancement than his professional skills.
Test for OIV:
Assess how dangerous a person is? How interesting is she? How complex is a person?
Chapter four. Development of relationships
The art of scouting is the ability to build relationships. Relationships do not necessarily have to be close. Trust is a delicate matter. The relationship needs to be developed and brought to a certain level. Contact can be deep and superficial. In some cases, it is better to set up a deep contact, in some - a superficial one. It is not uncommon for a contact to be passed on to someone who can establish a deeper relationship. You don't have to be the chattiest person at the party. It is enough to ask the right questions. Being in a relationship is like navigating a winding river. You will only see the turn by swimming up to it.
Three components of a relationship
For the stability of the relationship, at least three factors are needed that will ensure their survival:
- Common interests
- Emotional experience
- Common circle of
Experience shows that people from different social groups maintain relationships only within the framework of some activity.
Stabilization and formation of relations
Relationships should not be built on one specific context; what unites must be pleasant to both.
Three parameters for measuring relationship dynamics
- Leadership and dependence
- Communication patterns
- Emotional support
Virtual networking
Tools are constantly changing, but networking feels like the real thing. Contacts should be divided into three important groups:
- Those people who are important to us in life and work (circle of support)
- Those with whom we want to keep in touch (productivity circle)
- Those with whom we are ready to freeze contact (frozen contacts)
To give importance to your communication, it must be deep.
Chapter five. Change methods valuing relationships
The first way to erase barriers is to open up and talk about yourself. It helps the other person to do the same, which means to move to another level of communication. By letting dust into our eyes, we build a wall for relationships. Your goal is not to impress, but to attract, because deep relationships mean openness about the most important topics. A good way to test a relationship is to try to get your interlocutor to talk about his weaknesses, try to do it first.
Expand your environment. Interest clubs and communities create a good breeding ground for developing relationships.
Providing help and support, complement - a hard drug for the development of relationships. Mutual assistance is a good brick for building trust. If you know that your colleague has a difficult situation, try to help him. When you ask for help, you reveal your interlocutor and raise his importance in his own eyes.
Organize a lunch or a party. Interesting fact: most serious topics are raised at the table.
Create a positive atmosphere. Negativity or criticism lowers the level of interaction, and praise and complement are the basis of strong relationships.
Help others talk. Direct the conversation in the right direction and listen, expressing interest, ask questions, switch topics, do not ask closed questions.
Do something together. Once you find common interests, try to do something you both enjoy together - nothing brings you closer.
How to prepare productive meetings. Prepare meetings, pursue two important goals during the meeting: promoting the relationship and improving mutual understanding. As you prepare for the meeting, plan how you want to achieve these goals.
Diagnosis of relationship problems. Diagnose your relationship like a doctor diagnoses a disease. Usually, when the other person is not interested, they postpone meetings and calls. Ask questions if you see this behavior. Follow the dynamics of the relationship.
Chapter six. Implementation in the organization
Networking in organizations is divided into micro- and macro-networking, just like micro- and macro-economics.
In vertical organizations, the degree of hierarchy is absolute, with more information at the highest level. The opposite of a vertical organization is a horizontal organization, a group without any structure where all members are equal. In fact, most organizations are mixed.
The complex of relations within the organization depends on the formal and informal power within it. Formal power is the authority given to you by the organization. Informal power is a combination of a person's will and charisma, his appearance, external attractiveness and, to a large extent, his personal contacts.
In the organization, we observe the interaction of three different types of relationships: bureaucratic, authoritative and personal. Many managers, because of their age and experience, radiate more power than their position gives them.
Power in the organization is exercised by a group, not by one person. Everything depends on their interaction. Their relationship provides them with complete power.
If you entered the organization using someone you met at a conference (bridge), your task is to get a second such person as soon as possible to avoid losing contact with the organization.
It is important to know what is happening inside the company and who makes the decisions. You don't have to talk to a top manager, and it can be dangerous.
Decision-making styles:
- The main person makes a decision, agrees with one.
- The decision is made by the committee to avoid enemies.
- Bureaucratic, the most difficult case.
Gaining influence in the organization
In order to get a position in the leader's head, it is important to be on the same wavelength with him. Chances are out if you misinterpret your intentions as decision makers are constantly on the attack. You need to be on the same level and avoid changing your status, to do this, you need to understand the problems of the department well.
To influence the decisions of companies, you should make contact with influential people who are always open to new ideas, or with rising stars who are currently available.
Try to have the people who introduce you to the organization introduce you to their colleagues to avoid difficulties with the first contact.
Chapter seven. Above. Social leaders
Social capital is the recognition and support you can get from people you know. It's not about who you know, but who knows you. Methods can be divided into micro and macro: the first are aimed at improving your relationships with individual people, and the second - at improving relations with the group as a whole.
Learn from those at the top, ideally - ask them to become your mentors and hope you can inherit their connections and status.
Education is your way up, where you can communicate without limits because people there are open to new connections.
Any popularity among the general public gives you leverage, even the worst blogger usually has a lot of subscribers. If you have the opportunity, definitely try it become recognizable
Try to meet interesting people while traveling.
Chapter eight. Starting a network operation
Find a coach who will ask you difficult questions so you can search for answers.
Your long-term goal is to surround yourself with people who will help you progress as a professional and as a networker.
Keep journals to measure your networking progress.
Do not invade people's private space when developing relationships, act as a gardener.