Category: Network of Champions

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.
C. S. Lewis

In the pursuit of personal and professional growth, the adage “surround yourself with people who are smarter than you” holds a profound truth. Embracing the company of those who possess greater knowledge and skills can be a powerful catalyst for development and innovation.

Why Seek Smarter Company?
The benefits of surrounding oneself with more intelligent individuals are manifold. Firstly, it fosters an environment of continuous learning. Being around those who challenge our understanding pushes us to expand our knowledge base and question our preconceived notions. It’s a dynamic setting where ideas are exchanged, and intellectual boundaries are stretched.

Moreover, smarter colleagues act as a source of inspiration. They set a higher standard of excellence, motivating us to elevate our performance and strive for greater achievements. Their expertise and problem-solving abilities can also provide valuable insights that lead to more effective decision-making.

The Impact on Innovation
Innovation thrives in diverse and intellectually stimulating environments. When smart people come together, the synergy of their combined perspectives and experiences can lead to breakthroughs that might not occur in isolation. This collaborative intelligence is the bedrock of successful teams and organizations.

Creating a Smarter Circle
Building a network of intelligent individuals requires intentionality. It involves seeking out mentors, joining professional groups, attending conferences, and engaging in communities where knowledge-sharing is prevalent. It’s about being proactive in one’s own growth journey and recognizing the value that others bring to the table.

Conclusion
The wisdom of surrounding yourself with smarter individuals is not about diminishing one’s self-worth but about recognizing the power of collective intelligence. It’s a humble acknowledgment that we all have something to learn from one another. By embracing this mindset, we open ourselves up to a world of endless possibilities and growth.

Remember, intelligence is not just about academic prowess; it encompasses emotional, social, and creative intelligence as well. So, when we talk about surrounding ourselves with ‘smarter’ people, it’s about seeking those who can complement and enhance our own abilities in various spheres of life. It’s a journey well worth embarking on.

 

Photo by Filip Zrnzević on Unsplash

Viral: on the Internet, when you comment on anything, good or bad, you give it attention, and attention is power.

Photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash

Losing friends and followers on the Internet is much easier to do than increasing friends and followers. Here are things I try to do to build my network.

Trolling and Trolls

I love Internet forums.  I read forums for fun and for information.

But forums have a sneaky way of getting readers into a blind date with a troll. A few months ago, I gave my opinion on a political forum, only to find that another person snapped back at me.  The wrong way to respond to the negative comment is to reply to the comment. First, I would have given that person attention. Second, there is risk that the person would become a troll and follow me into other social media websites. How wonderful, I could have a relationship with a troll!

I deleted the comment.

Some trolls will post articles intended just to get a reaction from readers. The readers get upset. Comments turn into rants in running streams of comments. Others slap back. The more that people comment, the higher the post rises in Internet attention.

On LinkedIn, for example, when I comment on an article, my comment makes the article appear in my account. From there, other people see the post and may click to follow it. Then, when people comment on the article in my LinkedIn activity feed, the article can appear their LinkedIn account. The article becomes viral.

Internet Policing

Wouldn’t it be great if you could make everyone on the Internet either agree with us? Correcting people on the Internet feels so satisfying while I am writing my comment. But the blowback can get ugly.

Moreover, policing the Internet can damage relationships. As much as I want to fix what I see, I do not know how other people feel amount my correcting them. I can burn bridges and never know it.

Correcting People on The Internet is not my job.

Politics

Not all your friends and followers agree with your politics. The web is rife with political articles and post, especially during political seasons.  when it comes to politics, most people have a bias that overrides their brain.  Politicians do not give people information. They give the media sound bites and clickbait headlines. What many politicians want to do is chum the waters for political fish. When I see people posting chum in my Internet feeds, I unfollow them. I don’t see their face are opinions anywhere on the Internet.

Sometimes, I don’t unfriend or disconnect from people. I just unfollow Friends Who Post Politics on the Internet.

Acting out of Anger

The Internet is immediate, powerful, and permanent. Deleting things that you may regret doesn’t always save people from the negative responses. I have seen screenshots of deleted tweets, posts, and comments. To avoid posting things you will regret, write them down on your device. Come back to them in a couple of days to see whether you still want to post them.

When my gut tells me that I am posting something sketchy, I side with my gut. There is absolutely nothing I can post in a forum that is worth risking my reputation.

Changing People’s Beliefs

There is often little chance of changing the opinion of other people. We all want to see things that reinforce our beliefs.  On social, religious, and political issues, our feelings can easily override our judgement. When we argue with people, they are defending their beliefs. They are not changing their beliefs. Moreover, they may deepen their beliefs and hold resentments against us.

Getting Discovered: You have all the skills, the talent, intelligence, charisma, and emotional intelligence for success.  But what does it matter if no one knows?

Spread the Word

Retailers, manufacturers, and service providers have resources for putting their name out there.  They run ads in print, radio, television, social media, and billboards.

Furthermore, they sponsor public events.  They take part in community service projects with volunteers and donations.  Their executives do interviews on mass media.

Additionally, these companies have the money and the professional support to engage shoppers and spread create awareness of their products and services.

Confidential Job Search

You can use the same principles of putting your name out here as companies use.

Furthermore, you can promote your job search with nominal expense and minimal exposure.

Here are some suggestions.

Recruiters

There are pluses and minuses to using recruiters.  The top recruiters represent companies that offer more than a job.  They offer great opportunities for a career with long-term professional and financial growth.

Furthermore, unlike some employment agencies, recruiters don’t charge the job seeker a fee for helping them find a job.  The hiring companies pay the fee.

If you are uncertain about the terms of working with recruiters, ask each recruiter directly who pays the placement fee or any other recruiting costs.

• Should I Call the Recruiter?
• 12 Reasons Why Junior Military Officers (JMO) Should Avoid Recruiters
• The Types of Recruiters and Agencies
• Should You Work with a Recruiter?
• Working with Recruiters; The Different Types and What They Do

Applying for a Job In-Person

When you apply for a job in person, bring the information with you that you need to complete an application.  Some examples include your salary history, job history, and references.

Resumes

Sending recruiters and hiring managers your resume is an essential step in getting discovered in a professional career.

Important point:  you don’t need permission to send your resume.  All you need is a postal address, email address, or a website upload link.

Recruiters on LinkedIn, often have their email address on their LinkedIn profile.

Volunteering

Volunteering for activities where you can use your professional skills is a way to expand your network and become discovered.  Furthermore, these volunteering opportunities can help you meet employers and meet people who know employers.

Internet Profiles

You can post your profile in multiple places on the Internet. The best places include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Additionally, if you are willing to create a website, you can put your name out there as a source of information and assistance to other people.

Speaking Opportunities

If you have the skills and the contacts to speak in front of audiences, you can become discovered for your skills and experience at events where employers will see you.

Based on your skills and education, your opportunities to speak or do interviews can vary from mass media to trade shows or college programs.

For example, when I worked for Polaroid, I would contact local television stations to give interviews and discuss new cameras.

Conclusion

Just as retailers, manufacturers, and service providers do, you can become discovered by putting your name out there where the best people to help you will find it.

Network Event Anxiety: becoming effective at networking events may require that you step outside of your comfort zone. Meeting new people, especially for introverts is never easy. At times, extroverts feel awkward when networking. Feeling uncertain in new situations is common, perhaps even normal. 

Preparation for Overcoming Network Event Anxiety

Talking with strangers is easy for me. However, I have had times when I show up at an event and felt anxious about approaching people I don’t know. These experiences have shown me the importance of preparing for the things I want to accomplish and the people I want to meet.

Furthermore, if networking events are difficult for you, the things I do may help you become more confident and more successful when meeting people  by bringing the tools and developing the skills for overcoming network-event anxiety

Where to Start Upon Arrival

To gain confidence, I start with people I think I would enjoy meeting. If I am attending a trade show, I may go by a booth where I know the products and the people. Sometimes meeting with current clients put a face with a voice. Sometimes people I know will introduce me to the people who are standing next to them. Close clients or friends are often quick to introduce me to people other people in their group.

There is a flow in meeting people. As I meet more people, my confidence grows. I get into the mental flow of meeting new people.

Prepare Materials When Event Networking

Taking the correct tools is one of the most important thing I can do for meeting success of overcoming network event anxiety. I do take my smartphone. But I try not to use it. The whole purpose of event networking is meeting people in person. I do like to work with a pen and paper. I take a leather-bound portfolio with a legal pad. The binder makes it easy for me to take notes without bending over a table.

I carry a one-inch-thick stack of business cards.  Also, I keep my cards in one pocket and the cards of the people I meet in a second pocket. When I leave an event with many new contacts, I want to put them into my expanding database of contacts. The cards make building this database possible. For people who do not have cards, I make notes on their contact information on my legal pad.

If people are handing out brochures, I take brochures that contain names and contact information for people I want in my database. Often, especially at trade shows, the event planners provide the name of the companies that are in attendance. The brochures become lists of companies I may want to prospect in the future.

Additionally, this brochure helps me find my way around and create lists of additional people to contact as the event moves along. Therefore, I can expand on my plan to meet even more people.

List Contacts in Advance of Event Networking

I make a list of people I specifically want to meet. By making a list of people I want to meet, I can reduce the stress on me through preparation for seeing the people. I can also do a better job of seeing the people I need to see.

If there is a brochure of attendees, I may go down early or even the day before the event to get a copy of the list before the event. The night before the events, I expand on my plans of whom to meet and in what order I meet them.

Weeks leading up to the event, I call or email people to make plans for meeting them. I do not always make an appointment with them. Networking events are free flowing. However, I can let them know of my interest in seeing them.

For the appointments that I do schedule, I get people’s phone number to call do that I can call them if plans change for either them or me.

Things to Discuss When Event Networking

Remember some basics.

1. If speaking with new people makes you uncomfortable, prepare things to say and questions to ask.
2. Show an interest in what the other person is saying. The interest you take in the other person reduces your self-consciousness.
3. Ask the person questions about points that interest you.
4. Congratulate the person upon successes.
5. Listen with empathy.
6. Connect with what the person is saying from their point of view. Ask questions about how they reached conclusions or solved problems.

The Positive Side of Network-Event Anxiety

Anxiety is a signal that tells us to expect things. If we use that signal as a message to prepare for our meetings, we can do a better job of getting ready and our meetings will go better. Moreover, I anxiety will go down.

Internet Profile: your internet profile is more than your identity on the Internet.  This profile becomes your personal and professional brand. ~ www.jaywren.com

The Contents of an Internet Profile

An online profile has some or all the following elements:

• Your name
• Picture
• Skills
• Employment
• Education
• Training
• Accomplishments
• And your comments and likes.

When you publish your profile online, you have listed yourself in Internet databases across multiple search engines.  For example, search Jay Wren and you will find multiple listings of my Internet profile.

Your Internet Brand

What you write about yourself and what you comment and like become your Internet brand.

Your internet profile shapes the way people think and feel about you.

Controversy and Risks

Sex, politics, race, religion, and sports are topics that can stain your online profile.  These issues are polarizing.  People who disagree with your opinions on these subjects have a visceral aversion to you.

Buyers and employers flee when they see online profiles that make them dislike the person or company.

Therefore, only post comments that create the impression you want to create.  If you have a career in politics, sports, or religion, post about those subjects.  However, be aware that what you say on the Internet can have a lasting effect on your reputation.  Once your comments and posts are out there, deleting them without a trace can be difficult.

Where Do You Publish Your Internet Profile?

You publish your online profile on websites.  Many people have online profiles on more than one website.  For example, I have my business profile on my website JayWren.com and on LinkedIn.

Furthermore, you can create greater awareness by linking your profile on one site to your accounts at other sites.  I have a Twitter account, a Pinterest account, a Facebook page and a Flickr account that link back to this website.

Benefits from Your Online Profile

1. If you publish your online profile on your own website, you can sell goods and services directly from your website.  In this case, you have more freedom and control over your content and the brand image you wish to create.
2. Once you have established an online profile on most social media sites, you can create groups that bring people together.  A group attracts members who create content that in turn attracts other people to become aware of your profile from your online group.
3. You can extend your professional network and build relationships by helping people through connections, recommendations, or introductions.
4. In turn, these people can help you make connections, receive recommendations, and make introductions to new people.
5. Your online profile is important to help you set up an image as a person or a company.  Through your updates to your online profile, you build your brand.
6. Your posts on your profile become like a newsletter and makes it possible for people to follow your updates.

Content in Your Profile

For search engines, content is king.  Whenever you post anything on the Internet, you are creating content.  As you create content, your name or your company name appears more often in search engine results.

Some companies divert money from advertising to the cost of creating content on social media.  By posting content on a regular basis, you create awareness, interest, and engagement.  Where you start is through creating your online profile.

Internet Trolls:  A personal story about killing the power of an Internet troll by not responding to them.  This method might work for you.

When we troll the Internet trolls, we only give them more power. On the Internet, criticism is attention, and Internet trolls love attention. Take away their power by ignoring them.  ~ www.jaywren.com

Today, I had to have a talk with my Internet troll.

I was reading an article online and came across an ugly description of one of my friends.  The physical description was demeaning and inaccurate.  The description of my friend’s behavior was completely out of character.  The wording of the article revealed the bias and hurt feelings the writer had for my friend.

The writer described how he had gone nose-to-nose with my friend.  He said that he had talked down to him, physically and verbally.  By physically, the man told how my friend was the shorter of the two and that he looked down his nose while delivering a lecture on my friend’s shortcomings.

Knowing the fact that my friend was a college football player, I wonder whether the author’s hard feelings lead him to dramatize the encounter inaccurately.

Encounter in Front of Congress

The author went on to describe how the two had crossed paths later.  This time my friend appeared before a congressional hearing.  President Ronald Reagan had appointed my friend to serve as a U.S. Assistant Secretary for Defense.  The author of the article described how he had the satisfaction of a congressional member pressing my friend on his ability to work with congressional staff.  My friend passed the hearings and received the appointment.

The author then implied that my friend’s career simply evaporated, and he disappeared into obscurity.

Internet Trolls are Examples of Bias over Reality

In fact, my friend retired from federal service and went on to become president of a Fortune 500 company.  A few years later, President George W. Bush appointed my friend to serve as vice president in the office of the University of California to oversee the management of the federal research labs. In this responsibility, my friend corrected the security issues in a system with over 12,000 employees and billions of dollars in annual budget.

There’s is No Winning Against a Troll

The author of the article is a journalistic Internet troll.

Instead of going after this writer, I redirected my anger to write an article about my feelings in reading the article.

My inner troll said told me to rant to correct the inaccuracies of the article.  Then it occurred to me that by correcting this person online, I would only be promoting the very article and the very person who detracted from my friend.  Thus, I have vented my inner troll here without mentioning the name of the author or the article.  I will not use my resources to empower an author I don’t like.