New Year, New Website, New Workshops
Those
of you who have launched a new website or worked on a website renovation may
agree – it takes longer than you think.
However, I’m excited that we launched our new website on December 30 –
meeting our deadline by one day. Here’s
the link. If you’re so inclined would love your candid
feedback / suggestions as we continue to build and expand the site. Thanks.
Today
Liz and I sent out an email blast announcing our Professional Development workshops
for Jan / Feb 2017. In addition to our
Behavioral Presentation Coaching and Women’s Leadership Workshops we’ve added a
new workshop: Moderator and Panelist
Coaching for those of you who participate in those roles at industry events and
would like to learn the tricks of the trade from someone who is considered
pretty good at it (That would be me!).
Please
take a look at the On the Road section below for upcoming workshops, cities and dates. As always, feel free to pass this information along to other industry
professionals who might be interested.
Tips on Networking
We’ve been asked several times lately to coach
people on developing networking and relationship building skills. Apropos, here’s a piece I published in this
column in 2011.
Thanks to
my friend, Tom, I offer you the following "Tips on Networking"
previously published in the Wall Street Journal
· Have a Solid Introduction: First impressions count heavily. Make sure your
attire, attitude and overall appearance are the best possible before
introducing yourself to someone.
· Don't Confuse People with Your Pitch: No one needs to hear your entire work
history upon meeting you. If someone asks you to tell him or her a bit about
yourself, your explanation from start to finish shouldn't take more than 30 to
60 seconds.
· Don't Tell a Sob Story: No matter how tough it's been, you need to paint
a positive picture when you're making new connections. Potential employers want
people who project a good, can-do attitude, and who will be energetic and
excited about the position not people who are just excited to have a job.
· Spend More Time Listening Than Talking: The old adage is true: People were given
two ears and one mouth, and you should use them proportionately. Once you have
truly understood what drives this person, then you can introduce yourself and
tell your own stories in a way that best fits their specific needs.
· Avoid Being Socially Inept: There's a fine line between being friendly and
personable and being awkward. You do not want to be the latter.
· Don't Overstay Your Welcome: Taking up too much of someone's time is
almost as bad as ignoring him or her entirely.
· Hand out Your Business Card, Not Your Resume: It's not ok to pass along an unsolicited
resume. Offline or online, you need to work on forming a relationship with
someone before you ask them for anything at all. Many people overlook this
professional courtesy, and ask brand new connections to serve as a referral
when submitting a resume or application.
· Follow-Up and Follow-Through: Perhaps the "Cardinal Rule" of
networking is that once you've planted the seeds of a new relationship, you
must follow up to maintain it. Whether it's a business referral, job lead, or a
professional connection, get in touch – within 24 hours – to say you enjoyed
meeting them.
So true
although I've allowed myself 48 hours to follow up with everyone whose card I
get at any event with a simple email. At the same time I enter them in my
contact database with a notation of when and where I met them and anything else
that I learned (or that I can remember!).
Although
it's not acceptable in many Asian countries, the first thing I do when I meet
someone is keep their business card out in case I need to make a notation
(which I generally do after we've shaken hands and gone our separate ways).
Oh, one
more tip. For those of you who are shy
when attending an event and don’t feel comfortable approaching a group during
the ‘networking / coffee break / cocktail time’ I suggest you start out by approaching
someone who is standing by themselves (although not someone standing by
themselves who is on their phone). It’s
easier to do that than trying to break into a conversation - and the individual
you approach is often happy (sometimes noticeably relieved!) that they now are
engaged in a dialogue. I have developed three long-time industry friendships by
doing just that – one of them when attending an event years ago where no one
was interested in talking with either the other person or me!
**
Jan.
9 – 13: Chicago
Jan.
16 - 20: Laguna Beach, CA
Jan. 18: Conducting our 18th Women’s
Leadership Workshop in conjunction with the IMN Winter Forum on Real Estate Opportunity and Investing. Click here for
information and registration.
Jan. 19 – 20: Attending the IMN event
Jan. 21 - 25: Los Angeles
Jan. 23: Los
Angeles to conduct our Behavioral Presentation Coaching Workshop. Attendance
is limited to 6 people. Click here for information and registration
Jan. 24: Los
Angeles to conduct our 19th Women’s Leadership Workshop. Women
from 87 different commercial real estate industry firms have already attended
one of our workshops. Click here for information and registration.
Jan. 26 - 29:
San Francisco
Jan. 26: San Francisco to conduct our 20th Women’s Leadership Workshop. Click
here for information and
registration.
Jan.
27: San Francisco to conduct our Behavioral Presentation Coaching
Workshop. Attendance is
limited to 6 people. Click
here for information and
registration
Jan.
27 - 29: Napa, CA
Feb.
5 - 10: London, UK
Feb. 8: Conducting our Behavioral
Presentation Coaching Workshop.
Attendance is limited to 6 people.
Click here for information and registration
Feb. 10: Conducting our 21st
Women’s Leadership Workshop. Click here for information and registration.
Feb. 20 - 24: New York City
Feb. 21: NYC to
conduct our Behavioral Presentation Coaching Workshop. Attendance is
limited to 6 people. Click here for information and
registration
Feb. 24: NYC to
conduct our 22nd Women’s Leadership Workshop. Click here for information and
registration.
Mar.
1 - 2: San Diego to attend the NAREIM Executive Officers Spring Meeting
Mar. 4 - 8: New York City
Mar. 9 - 11: Dallas
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| A rare view: NYC. View from Madison Avenue looking East. View of Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal for first time in a long time due to demolition of old buildings and new construction of One Vanderbilt a 1,400 foot, $3Bn office tower to come online in 2020! |
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