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Rochester’s Premier Professional Networking Organization
Newsletter Archives
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Upcoming Events
Are you willing to assist or enhance the content of this section of the newsletter?
We're looking for members to populate the calendar with events of interest. If so, send an email to
newsletter@augustgroup.org. It gets better with your input and contributions.
Job Postings
Hidden jobs are welcomed for sharing at
jobs@augustgroup.org.
If the job your neighbor, friend or family shared with you is not right for you, it might be perfect for an August Group colleague.
This is a great place for practicing "give to get." With 1600 members, what can happen here when members own the content?
We welcome volunteers to coordinate the job postings on a weekly basis.
Employers and members submit jobs that must be readied for inclusion in the
newsletter. A lack of help means fewer jobs get posted in a timely manner.
Why not be the first one to see new postings.
New Job Postings this week
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National Account Manager
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Scheduling Coordinator for Community Bell Ringers (Temporary)
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Bell Ringer Scheduling Liaison (Temporary)
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Previously posted jobs
Links to share
Got a link you want to share? Send it to
newsletter@augustrgroup.org and put "Link to share" in the Subject Line.
Words of Wisdom
Got a thought to share? Send it to
newsletter@augustrgroup.org and put "Words to Ponder" in the Subject Line.
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" Whatever you focus on is what you get; negative or positive, so
focus on the positive and you'll bring more positive into your life."
~ Marion Licchiello
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" Life is problems, success is solving problems, and all achievers
are problems solvers. When problems surface, it is an opportunity to
learn something you didn't know before then. Be prepared because they
will surely come."
~ Balogun M. Adewale
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" Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask.
Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get
it."
~ Jack Canfield
Weekly Columns
Have an idea for a weekly column to contribute? We welcome your contributions. Make a difference. Submit it to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
Book Reviews and Good Reads
Have a story, book review or workshop experience to share or something
similar to contribute? Send your contributions to newsletter@augustgroup.org with Good Read in the
Subject line.
Weekly Blogs
Have a weekly blog you would like to contribute? We welcome your contributions. Make a difference. Submit it to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
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Greg Taylor -
Sir LinkedAlot - A Recruiter's Perspective
Sir LinkedAlot launches LinkedIn LIVE!, a Pay it Forward, Networking for
a Cause Event on October 27. Learn more about this if you have found
networking events unproductive in the past. Proceeds benefit Flower City
Habitat for Humanity. Be sure to return often for daily updates on this
event. We're adding benefits and features regularly as we sell out the
event. Registered interest on LinkedIn Events presently is 220 and
exceeds capacity. Register and pre-pay to make sure you can attend.
Feature Articles
Have an article to contribute? We welcome your contributions. Make a difference. Share a story.
Submit it to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
Volunteers Needed for The August Group December 1st, 2009 Career Fair
The August Group December 1st, 2009 Career Fair Committee is looking for
volunteers. If you are interested, please send your name and contact
information to
careerfair@augustgroup.org
August Group Members in the news
Have an article to contribute about an August Group Member? We welcome your contributions. Make a difference. Share a story.
Submit it to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
Weekly Columns
Have an idea for a weekly column you would like to start? We welcome your contributions. Make a difference. Share
your ideas with The August Group.
Submit your idea to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
Network Inside
By Anne Baber & Lynne Waymon
No matter where you work
(corporation, government agency, non-profit, or institution) networking at
work has never been more important. Why?
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To keep getting the big picture. Things change fast.
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To keep up with what’s going on.
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To bolster the bottom line. Understand that your job depends on the
success of the organization. Promote your organization's products and
services even if you’re not in sales!
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To venture into the white spaces. Look at the organization chart.
"The organization chart is not the business," caution authors Geary
Rummler and Alan Brache in their book, Performance: How To Manage the
White Space on the Organization Chart. "The greatest opportunities for
improvement often lie in the white spaces between the boxes on the chart
Đ in the functional and interpersonal interface Đ those points where the
baton is being passed from one department to another or from one
individual to another."
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To uncork bureaucratic bottlenecks. If you create temporary project
teams to tackle problems and launch initiatives, you’ll make a name for
yourself. Increase collaboration with other departments. When the
corporate communications department at a major telecommunications firm
invited the human resources department to lunch, it was the beginning of
a rich collaboration. As people got to know each other, they integrated
their strategic planning so that a human resources request for the
production of a training calendar was on the corporate communications
department’s schedule. If you collaborate, you can negotiate to even out
workload, so all the projects don’t hit at the same time.
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To expand your knowledge base. Figure out what resources you need
and put together a network made up of people representing many different
interests and areas of expertise. If you introduce your contacts to each
other, you can encourage information and skill sharing among all the
members of the group. Your networks can be a kind of informal, highly
customized personal, business yellow pages. Get out of that rut. If you
network, you expose yourself to new ideas and ways of doing things. This
“cross pollination” almost always benefits the organization.
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To create your safety net. You need to network to
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increase your visibility within the corporation, non-profit
group, or government agency so that opportunities find you!
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take responsibility for your own career self-management. If you
network effectively, you’ll create career opportunities for
yourself.
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explore options in case your job goes away.
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In these days of rightsizing and re-structuring, it's smart to keep
your ears open for opportunities within your organization and to make
yourself visible. Determine what skills you have that could be used in
other areas of the organization. Figure out how to showcase those
skills. What can you do so that others become aware of your
capabilities?
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Maria offered to manage the 10-K run for a local charity. Sue
noticed how much the community sponsors liked working with her and how
well organized she was. When a job opened up in Sue's department, she
thought of Maria.
Assess Your Corporate Culture
Is your organization network-friendly? To determine how supportive
your workplace is, ask yourself these questions:
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Is there recognition at the top that networking is valuable?
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Do corporate executives ever mention networking?
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Is training offered? (You can suggest networking workshops.)
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Is networking during office hours considered not working?
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Are you encouraged to belong to professional associations and to
attend both monthly meetings and conferences?
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Are you encouraged to volunteer in the community, serve on
boards, etc.?
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Is it easy– and expected – for you to collaborate with people in
other departments: to venture out into the white space on the
organizational chart?
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How much money does your organization spend on professional
association dues and conferences? Collateral expenses, such as
travel, lodging, etc.? Is anyone tracking whether the organization
is getting its money’s worth?
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Are networking activities/goals in your annual performance plan?
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Are you rewarded when your networking contributes to the success
of the organization?
Recognize that in some organizations, networking violates the
cultural ground roles. If that's your assessment, talk with your boss
and your colleagues about the reasons for encouraging inside networking.
And recognize that in some organizations the word “networking” makes
people uncomfortable. Don’t be fooled. A lot of networking is probably
going on, but under the alias of “relationship building,” or “teamwork”
or “collaboration.”
Some forward-thinking organizations are deliberately working toward
creating a more collaborative culture, setting up mentoring programs,
sponsoring women's networks and minority networks, providing ways for
people to interview others and discuss lateral moves and opportunities
for upward mobility.
Even if you've decided that your organization's culture isn't very
network-friendly, you'll still find networking ideas that will work for
you. Focus, not on self-serving objectives, but on serving customers,
streamlining internal processes, getting the job done, and impacting the
bottom line.
Sidebar
How Strong Is Your Inside Network?
Use this quiz to rate the strength of your current inside network.
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Do you know people at all levels of the organization? Do they know
your name and what you do?
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Do you know all the people whose work intersects yours in any way?
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Do you know people who have jobs you might like to have someday?
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Are you involved in any cross-functional efforts or
interdepartmental activities (temporary assignments, committees, task
forces, special projects, volunteer activities)?
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Are you plugged into the grapevine? Do you find out quickly what's
up?
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Do you take every opportunity to meet face-to-face to define and
discuss complex problems, shifting priorities, areas of responsibility?
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Do you know and talk with others about trends that will impact your
job in the future and tools to get the job done today?
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Do you have effective internal channels through which to send
information?
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When you see a problem that involves people from various areas, do
you take the initiative to bring people together to solve it?
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Do you drop by to see people – even when you don't need anything?
Could you say "Yes" to most of those questions? If not, make building
your inside network a priority.
Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon are principals of Contacts Count, a nationwide
consulting and training firm that specializes in business and professional
networking, and career development. They are co-authors of six books. The
most recent is Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Business
and Career Success (2007, AMACOM). Fortune 500 companies license their
training programs. Put the tools of networking to work in the service of
business goals. Visit www.ContactsCount.com and www.FireProofYourCareer.com
301-589-8633.
This article is brought to you, compliments of Sue Schnorr,
President, Training Insights, Inc.
Associate, Contacts Count
70 Linden Oaks, 3rd floor
Rochester, NY 14625
585-442-3443
www.training-insights.com
/
www.contactscount.com/sueschnorr.html
Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon are principals of Contacts Count, a
nationwide consulting and training firm that specializes in business and
professional networking, and career development. They are co-authors of six
books. The most recent is Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for
Business and Career Success (2007, AMACOM). Fortune 500 companies license
their training programs. Put the tools of networking to work in the service
of business goals. Visit
www.ContactsCount.com and
www.FireProofYourCareer.com 301-589-8633.
Hannah's blog this week includes writings on
recent topics
about Selling Yourself.
Hannah
composes her blog outside of work hours as a personal passion to assist
those in career transition.
Book Reviews and Good Reads
Other Offerings - Share Yours
Got a book you'd like to share with others and lead in discussion? It's a
great way to contribute, add value and get known. Provide the story line on
the book and submit it to Greg Taylor at
gtaylor@excelsiorsp.com for
discussion, coordination and promotion.
Feature Articles
Have an article to contribute? We welcome your contributions. Make a
difference. Share a story. Submit it to
newsletter@augustgroup.org.
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