One of the first things you will notice in any struggling company (or family, for that matter) is that they are not effectively using the resources they already have.
I have a friend who is such a whiz it's often said she has forgotten more than most people know! It's funny, but a little frightening, too. What things do you already have access to that, if you maximized their potential, might make all the difference at a crucial point in the future for you? John Maxwell and others remind us that "Opportunity lies at the intersection of preperation and action." (other quotes by Maxwell) . The bottom-line? If you're not already maximizing your personal network, the time will come when you will need their resources, but they will not be there for you!
It's Not What You Know, It's WHO You Know
One of the keys in the New Economy is personal networking. It has always been important, but since you will never expect to work with the same company more than 5-10 years max anymore, you need to stay connected to the people you know.
However, it has always been a struggle for me, personally, to keep in touch with colleagues, friends, aquaintances and even more casual contacts which may, in the long-run, make a huge difference in your future.
--Maximize Your Personal NetworkThere are many ways to keep in touch with people, however, one of the most incredible (and free) ways I have seen to do this simply is through LinkedIn.
I have been working with LinkedIn since Serial Entrepreneur Paul Allen (see his blog linked in my "blogs I read" section) recommended it to me and my Entrepreneurial Skills class a few semesters ago in the Center for Entrepreneurship at Brigham Young University.
With people like Paul Allen and Kelly Perdew (The Apprentice) recommending LinkedIn as such an important tool, why not use it to keep in touch with your circle of influence and circle of concern! [See this example of how LinkedIn works]
With that, if you're someone I know, get LinkedIn and then drop me a request to add you! I would love to stay in touch through the system and, potentially, be able to introduce you to people I know. If you have an entrepreneurial, technological or new-economy bent, I know a lot of people you should know!
Get LinkedIn--You never know who I might know!
Links about LinkedIn:
- Dialogue with The Apprentice: Kelly Perdew Shares His Thoughts on Leadership
- The socially selective networker
- Social Software: Finding Beauty in Walled Gardens
- Your Assistance Requested!
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