Ken Potalivo is a well known executive coach who runs Pro Growth Team, an organization that assembles and supports groups of talented professionals in their pursuit of growing their business.
I was introduced to Ken's work through Bob Tormey, one of the most talented financial executives that I know and a real champion of Ken's work. Since I counsel professional service firms and their partners (a closely related market to the one in which Ken operates, I always very carefully read Ken's blog posts.
His latest on the potential waste in all the networking going on really struck my hot button. In Beware of Networking, Ken alerts his readers that:
"In a challenging economy, it is easy to get caught up in the vortex of networking with the belief that more is better. In reality, it can end up costing you a great deal of time and energy and possibly your business if it is not properly directed."
Amen! I have vented before on the misuse of networking, especially in connection with job searches. I use the word 'vent" very intentionally as it breaks my heart to see networking so misused....by so many.
I am delighted that Ken is up on his soap box educating professionals that networking is at best a mean to an end, not the end all.
Following the herd is never my idea of the right path. Heck, the herd may just be headed to the slaughter house.
Going crazy networking will certainly have you traveling with the herd, if that is where you want to be.
Ken has it very right. Create a thoughtful plan for prospering in tough times and then decide exactly the role networking will play in helping you achieve your plan.
Sound wisdom from a very, very smart man!
Coming Next: I will be saluting one of my favorite author/speaker Mike Robbins in the next installment of my series on examples of individuals, from all walks of life, who "get it." The series starts here.
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