Strategic Connections: The New Face of Networking in a Collaborative World

Today's organizations are collaborative. With old command-and-control methods replaced by openness and transparency, networking has become an essential professional skill - expected of everyone, at every level. Unveiling eight indispensable competencies for the new Network-Oriented Workforce, Strategic Connections provides practical advice for building better, more productive business relationships. Readers will discover how to: commit to a positive, proactive networking mindset; align networking activities with individual and organizational objectives; leverage their contacts by organizing them into strategic groups; earn trust - a prerequisite for collaboration; boost their social acumen and increase their likeability; master conversational skills and deepen interactions; employ storytelling to make communications memorable; and, use networking to deliver value to the company. Thanks to technology, new contacts are only a click away. But the level of connection and collaboration required for real success demands advanced face-to-face relationship-building skills. This book gives you the tools you need to meet goals, execute strategies, foster innovation, and make yourself invaluable to your organization.