7 Killer Ways to Effective Networking

We know that for many of us attending that conference, going to that meeting, working with that particular group of individuals does not come easy for  us, and yet to progress in our lives be it in our career, daily life, or our personal relationships, being able to communicate effectively on different levels, and with different people/groups is key .

My own career journey has involved being employed within various UK hierarchical corporate and private institutions, and also at the same time engaging with what is known as third sector groups.

Throughout my career journey, I have met many influential people. These people have amassed great amounts of power and influence. Moreover, studies have shown that great leaders can hold both power and influence and in some cases when holding power, have been unable to exert influence. I believe that the key to such successful leadership has been the ability to network and possess effective communication skills.

This article has been put together to share with you what I feel were some of the many areas covered at a recent event that we called ‘Networking for Success’ hosted by the NHS Yorkshire and Humberside’s Innov8 team. I was  invited to design and lead, with other facilitators, a day of networking for success. Below are some of the highlights and key points, condensed into 7 areas for quick and  easy reading…..

The day was split into two parts, the am. session lead by Life Coach and Author Rasheed Ogunlaru.   Rasheed focused on how to network effectively on an individual level, and the benefits. The key points covered here:

 

1.  Networking: The benefits Individual level  

• Effective networking skills can help you to develop new leads, contacts, customers and career opportunities.
• Effective networking can help enhance existing relationships with peers, colleagues, partners, affiliates and partnership working.
• Effective networking can ease the flow of information sharing, and thus, can enable one to explore support from others

 

2.  Networking Benefits: Employee Engagement

It has been shown that networking in an organisation can be beneficial for a number of reasons. I highlighted this aspect of organisational benefit at the ‘Networking for Success’ event, and shared the resource below which covers Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when applied to employee engagement.  You may find this useful.

The five levels identified in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs impact on everyone within a wider organisational setting, and is interpreted here:

 

 

In the NHS study for the Kings Fund by Professor Michael West, Organisational Psychologist at Lancaster University, West highlighted the importance of developing cultures which foster high quality care.

The data taken from the National staff survey in the UK National Health Service 2004 highlighted some key data:

Staff satisfaction and commitment predict patient satisfaction

 

3.  Networking Benefits – Improved customer experiences and outcomes

At the Networking for Success event, I highlighted the many ways in which developing a staff network can also impact in other areas, namely within an NHS setting. The recent and powerful study by Professor Roger Kline of Middlesex University :  ‘Snowy White Peaks‘ has seen a major shift in the race equality agenda as Kline provided some powerful and robust evidence linked with the poor experiences of NHS Minority staff namely Black staff, and the correlation with staff experiences in the workplace and patient care and healthy outcomes.

…….[it also considers the extent of the gap between the diversity within the workforce and the local population, and that visible among trust leaderships and senior management. That gap is then considered in the light of growing evidence about the impact of staff and board diversity on the effectiveness of healthcare provision and the patient experience. ]…….Kline (2014)

 

Happy staff improved patient experience better health outcomes

 

4. Your free download to kick start your staff network:

This link will take  you directly to where you can download a template terms of reference for anyone looking to develop a staff network.

 

5. Mentoring

Mentoring and Coaching formed a key part of the ‘Networking for Success’ day as it was seen as integral in helping one to develop communication or networking skills for success as an individual or as a new staff network group. In her presentation, Maggie Stubbs covered some points:

Here are some the key headlines:

1) Mentoring- an exchange of wisdom, which can be supportive and used to achieve strategic business/personal goals.

2) Mentoring is different to Coaching.

3) Seeking a person from the same ethnic/cultural background will not always necessitate a positive outcome. Choose your Mentor wisely.

4) Clarify to your new Mentor what your needs are.

 

6. Coaching

1. For both Mentoring and seeking a Coach, find one who reflects the same values as yourself.
2. Ensure that your Coach has a clear set of ethics. Are you sure that what you will discuss is going to be kept confidential?
3. Ensure that you BOTH have a clarity of purpose.
4. Ensure that any goals that are agreed are achievable, realistic, time bound and stretching.
5. Ensure that your Coach or Mentor has received training from a reputable establishment.

 

7. Communities of practice

Developing a staff network can be done in so many different ways, and the various options can be decided upon within the type of membership of your group. Not everyone will want to network face to face for a number of reasons. The timings of meetings can be another factor.

The ‘ Networking for Success’ day covered how to develop an on line community of practice. The key headlines are as follows:

• Think about your membership
• Who are the enablers to helping you set up your community of practice
• What are the challenges?
• What topics do your potential membership care about the most?
• Is everyone skilled in accessing the community of practice via the internet?
• What kind of influence does your community of practice want to have?
• What is in it for us?
• How will this group connect to the organisations strategy or needs?

 

 

Beverley Powell is a Leadership Associate: Organisational development, Inclusion, Coach and Mentor, UK certified Life Coach and Educator, and nationally recognised by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) 2014 as a BME Pioneer for her work around strategic inclusion within the National Health Service (NHS). You can see more about Beverley’s work on her website and you can also follow her on Twitter – @UKCoachLeader

Beverley hosts a region wide networking event for a group of NHS staff. Watch RADAR Networking for Success: Overview