The Art of Networking
THE KEY TO SURVIVAL IN TODAY’S WORKPLACE
Have you ever wondered why there are so many courses on Networking? Aside from all the professional development/continuous learning that HR and administration managers must contend with, the idea of learning how to network seems a bit strange as it should be “natural” and something we can do without much training.
The power of personal contact goes a long way. In today’s workplace, we are overwhelmed with the daily tasks, responsibilities and new duties being added daily to our workload. We can barely handle the work we have, let alone take on any more tasks or adventures. Yet in the various industries in which I have worked, networking is a key role though not necessarily specified in the job description.
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Nathaly Pinchuk,
RPR, CMP
Executive Director
IPM
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How many of us say that we cannot attend a professional development/networking event as we have too much work on our plate? How can we claim that we’re truly keeping abreast of issues in our areas without leaving our offices?
Though social networking has become a most popular means of communication as we can see in the growing demand for information on this new medium, it is difficult if not impossible to replace face to face contact. Regardless of how much we read or blog, we should never pass up an opportunity to learn and network in a face to face setting.
Professional development events are educational opportunities organized around a specific target market. Networking at live events allows us to meet other professionals in our field and discover what issues they are facing, personally meet industry experts and get answers to our questions from both experts and our colleagues. Social networking and blogging are definitely ways to communicate and connect, but they do not replace face to face interpersonal communication.
Our next step is to select the type of event which we can attend. A conference of 1500 delegates means less interaction with the individuals we meet, thus the need to manage our contacts more carefully.
A smaller PD workshop or conference with under 150 delegates like IPM events provides greater interaction with fellow managers and administrators and easier and faster ways to get our questions answered.
I am a firm believer that you cannot replace live contact, though social networking and blogs present a reasonable alternative. In this issue of the Members Quarterly, you’ll be amazed to discover what social networks can do for your organization and things to watch for.
In the meantime, “Social Networking” is a key theme in IPM’s Spring Conferences and Workshops across Canada.
You will meet peers, suppliers and industry experts and discover valuable trends, strategies and statistics to share with your colleagues back at the office. You’ll spend the entire event sitting comfortably at round tables to ease communications with others. Most of all, you will build relationships and expand your contact base. You’ll see why IPM has such a growing network of regular supporters that attend each and every event.
Take the next step- check out IPM’s events near you and see how face to face networking can be such a rewarding and fulfilling experience, no prerequisite training required!
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