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The PART TIME Networker

by BNI New Zealand


By Dr Alex Rodwell
Searching the BNI website, I was shocked to see no blog posts on the theme of ‘Part Time vs Full Time networking. So in an ambitious DYI mindset, I set out to write an article on just that topic!!!
The topic of discussion today is about YOU. Are YOU a part time or a full time networker?
Do you just show up to BNI each week, switch your NETWORKING SWITCH ON, hoping to gain a few referrals, or maybe even give one?
Or is your NETWORKING SWITCH ON throughout the whole week?
Do you take each human interaction as a chance to successfully network with that individual?
Do you routinely introduce people from your network to other people in your network in a social or more informal business setting with each other? Ask yourself, when was the last time you set up a business lunch or coffee to introduce two people in your network who haven’t yet met, but that might be valuable business associates once they actually get to know each other a bit better?
And finally, have you ever finished a conversation with another business person thinking, ‘Oh yeah, I could have asked that person if they knew an architect that might be interested in finding out a bit more about our BNI chapter!’
Is your networking switch ON all week? Or is it only on from 7.15 to 8am on a Thursday morning once per week?
And that, ladies and gentleman is my networking nugget for this week!!


By Dr Alex Rodwell

Searching the BNI website, I was shocked to see no blog posts on the theme of ‘Part Time vs Full Time networking.  So in an ambitious DIY mindset, I set out to write an article on just that topic!!!

The topic of discussion today is about YOU. Are YOU a part time or a full time networker?

Do you just show up to BNI each week, switch your NETWORKING SWITCH ON, hoping to gain a few referrals, or maybe even give one?

Or is your NETWORKING SWITCH ON throughout the whole week?

Do you take each human interaction as a chance to successfully network with that individual?

Do you routinely introduce people from your network to other people in your network in a social or more informal business setting with each other? Ask yourself, when was the last time you set up a business lunch or coffee to introduce two people in your network who haven’t yet met, but that might be valuable business associates once they actually get to know each other a bit better?

And finally, have you ever finished a conversation with another business person thinking, ‘Oh yeah, I could have asked that person if they knew an architect that might be interested in finding out a bit more about our BNI chapter!’

Is your networking switch ON all week? Or is it only on from 7.15 to 8.30am on a Thursday morning once per week?

And that, ladies and gentleman is my networking nugget for this week!!




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4 comments

Paul Meyer 16 November 2010 - 3:26 pm

Thanks Alex good insight.

Paul

Jits 19 November 2010 - 12:47 pm

Good post Alex.

I always ask “Am I a network plunderer or a network contributor?” . When you realise that you are a contributor you naturally make connections all week.

Graham Southwell 24 November 2010 - 11:11 am

Thanks for this Alex – and thank you also for the gift of The Breakthrough Experience by Dr John F Demartini. It really is an excellent read and I was most touched both by the gift and the book itself.
Graham

Tony Glentworth 24 November 2010 - 9:45 pm

Thanks Alex, one this I always ask is are you in BNI or is BNI in you?

Comments are closed.