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©2012 CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 1 1 1 1

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GROWING YOUR TEAM AND YOU

Allen Still, CFE, CPA, CIA

CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

©2012 CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 2

AGENDA

• Introduction

• Why Networking And Professional Development Are Important

• Become A Better Networker

• Help Your Team Become Better Networkers

• Holding People Accountable For Their Networking

• Open Discussion


Takeaways

Today you should be able to take 3 things away from this session

– Might be something you are learning for the first time

– Might be something you knew, but had forgotten


Activity

Three Questions Exercise:

1. Find the person next to you

2. Ask them three questions

3. Let them ask you three questions


The History of Networking

• When networking started

• Who did the networking

• How networking was done

• Why networking was done


Networking 20 Years Ago

• How networking was done in the 90’s

• How much has networking evolved in the past 20 years


Why Networking and Professional Development Are Important?

Networking defined

• Growing professionally

• Growing personally


Why Networking and Professional Development Are Important?

Professional Development defined

• Growing knowledge

• Growing experiences


Don’t Get Comfortable

• What does that mean

• Who tends to get comfortable

• Why is it important not to get comfortable

– Continue to grow your own network

– Setting an example for your team


Setting an Example for Your Team

Lead by example, actions speak louder than words – Set the tone that networking

is important

– Promote professional development and gaining additional knowledge and experience

– Demonstrate how networking and professional development lead to success


Looking in the Mirror


Become a Better Networker

• Is anyone as good of a networker as they think they are

• The “best” networkers

• Networking is an art

• Practice makes perfect


Common Misconceptions of Networking Skills

• Not every conversation must be a sale

• You don’t have to be the bubbliest person in the room

• Doing something nice for someone goes a long way.

• Timely follow-ups are critical

• Be honest and genuine


Networking Bad Habits

2 major categories:

1. “This is how we did networking in my day, and it’s the only way to succeed”

2. Not being able to loosen your grip and share responsibilities with team members


“This is How We Did Networking in My Day, and It’s the Only Way to Succeed”

• Remember how much networking has evolved

• Share your experiences and lessons learned with your team, but don’t make it law

• Sharing your past experiences with the team can be a powerful tool to motivate and inspire


Loosen Your Grip

Sharing networking responsibilities with team members can:

– Promote teamwork

– Even out workloads

– Empower team members

Why is this important?


Managing Networking Expectations

• Meaningful connections come in all shapes and sizes

– Rainmakers, executives, and celebrities

– Random person at the coffee shop

• Not every connection is going to lead to some mega deal that makes you rich

• You can learn something or identify a takeaway from every connection


3 Categories of Networking

Networking can be broken down into 3 categories or circles:

1. Immediate, work, or close network

2. Expanded or social network

3. Potential network


Developing Contacts

• Start with the low hanging fruit

• Under promise and over deliver

Typical progression to developing a solid relationship:

– Find a question or topic to follow-up on

– Provide answers and advice when sought

– Help contact achieve a goal

– Introduce them to someone in your network that can help them

– Contact introduces you to someone in their network


Help Your Team Become Better Networkers

There are typically 2 ways to educate:

1. Classroom training

2. Real world experiences (practicing by doing)


How to Help

SUPPORT, MOTIVATE, INSPIRE

• Network in pairs

• Introduce team members to your network


Finding the Time to Network

Finding the time to network can be difficult

• Breakfast

• Coffee

• Lunch

• After hours

• Educational events


Accountability for Networking

• Why networking accountability is important

• Ways to hold people accountable


Why Networking Accountability is Important?

Return on investment (ROI)

• Creates focus

• Metrics to measure success

• More than social event


Ways to Hold People Accountable

• Yearly growth goal

• Number of business cards at event

• The one page method


Food for Thought

• What opportunities exist for your company over the next five years, and do you have the team currently to get there

• If flexible dynamic, and competent team members are important; how do you grow your current team and potential new team members

(is this important?)

• Once you get the right people in the right places, how do you keep them


Recap

• Why networking and professional development are important

• Becoming a better networker

• Helping your team become better networkers

• Networking accountability


Open Discussion

Thank You

Contact Info: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

“Association of Certified Fraud Examiners,”

“Certified Fraud Examiner,” “CFE,” “ACFE,” and

the ACFE Logo are trademarks owned by the

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc.

The contents of this paper may not be

transmitted, re-published, modified, reproduced,

distributed, copied, or sold without the prior

consent of the author.

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