6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best "take-action" networking books you will find, October 3, 2005
This review is from: Work the Pond! Use the Power of Positive Networking to Leap Forward in Work and Life (Mass Market Paperback)
Back in 2003, I attended a pivotal event at the Vancouver Enterprise Forum. Normally, these events generally follow a predictable pattern. People fill in the room, buy a drink and wander aimlessly. The venture capitalists avoid the nervous entrepreneurs with the bad pitches and the keen students stand nervously in the corner, not sure who to talk to. Old friends meet up and chat and newcomers do their best to try to look as comfortable as the old-timers.
But that evening was different. Darcy Rezac, Managing Director of the Vancouver Board of Trade, got on stage with a microphone, introduced himself, gave the group some ground rules and "permission to network".
Some of his rules included:
* it's about them, not you - find out what you can do for the other person;
* put your name tag on your upper right chest so that when you shake hands, the other person can see your name tag;
* invite others into your group and make the introductions so that people feel comfortable;
* look the other people in the eye - focus on them, and not on the venture capitalist walking by that you REALLY wanted to talk to;
* keep your cards handy in one pocket and use another pocket to store the cards you receive;
* when you offer a card, make sure you get the other person's card
* try to get 7 cards minimum per event that you attend
* give yourself permission to go out and meet people so that you can see how you can help them.
The energy that this talk unleashed was enormous. People laughed and chatted and exchanged cards. In fact, it was hard to shepherd them out of the room to the upstairs theater for the actual talk! This evening was a turning point in my own understanding of networking and I will always remember it. I bought Darcy's first book "The Frog and the Prince" that night from Gayle and read it that night.
I'm thrilled that Darcy Rezac, Judy Thomson, and Gayle Hallgren-Rezac are at it again and are releasing this book in the United States in paperback format so that lots of people will be able to afford it.
No matter what you do - business, government, or non-profit work - if you need to work with people and build out your eco-system of "weak links", you need to read this book. I highly recommend it.
Congratulations Darcy, Judy, and Gayle!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Are you a networker?, November 11, 2005
This review is from: Work the Pond! Use the Power of Positive Networking to Leap Forward in Work and Life (Mass Market Paperback)
It doesn't matter how you answered the title question in this review;whether you're a veteran of the networking wars, or a rookie, you need this book. The author presents the often misunderstood art of networking in a positive, straightforward fashion that enables networkers at all levels to improve and excel at this vital contact sport! At the very least, this is an opportunity to add some spice to your professional and personal quality of life!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical and positive, October 24, 2005
This review is from: Work the Pond! Use the Power of Positive Networking to Leap Forward in Work and Life (Mass Market Paperback)
I find WORK THE POND! very useful. Since networking consists of your relationships with people, by definition, networks are always on, as the authors say: You're always networking in some form or other - in hibernation, poorly, or well. This book provides practical, positive actions that anyone can adopt, from business card etiquette to joining a conversation amid a room full of strangers. At the same time, the authors present thought-provoking principles which pique rather than insult your intelligence. "Discovering what you can do for someone else" is a principle which can be applied to networking opportunities anywhere. Having worked in Asia, Europe and the US, I believe these principles and practices can generate positive effects in any culture. This book can help you improve your enjoyment and effectiveness in networking whether you are an outgoing jet-setting corporate chief or the opposite. The authors use an abundance of real-life anecdotes and real-people examples, quotes, nuggets, and summaries to bring across the message across in a lively, positive, concrete, useful and efficient way.
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