Ronald K. Bolender1
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Knox National Management AssociationNovember 5, 2007Dr. Ronald Bolender
Ronald K. Bolender2
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Leadership is relational. To enhance the relational aspect of leadership, one must develop and maintain a meaningful social/professional network. One aspect of the network process is mentorship, a developmental relationship between professionals. This session will present the concept, components, and application of relationship building via social/professional networking and mentoring.
(Bolender, 2007)
Ronald K. Bolender3
How to Build Your Network
Does serendipitous networking produce results?
Ronald K. Bolender4
How to Build Your Network
Ronald K. Bolender5
How to Build Your Network
Mary Gates
John Akers
Bill Gates
And then there was…
Ronald K. Bolender6
How to Build Your Network
A Powerful System Networks deliver three unique advantages:
– Private Information– Access to diverse skill sets– Power
(Uzzi & Dunlap, 2005, p. 54)
Ronald K. Bolender7
How to Build Your Network
– Most personal networks are highly clustered—that is, an individual’s friends are likely to be friends with one another as well.
– Most organizational networks are made up of several clusters but with few links between them. Brokers are especially powerful because they connect separate clusters, thus stimulating collaboration and exploiting arbitrage among otherwise independent specialists.
(Uzzi & Dunlap, 2005, pp. 55-56)
Ronald K. Bolender8
How to Build Your Network
Two Common Issues Regarding Networks Self-similarity Principle
– The network is too inbred– You tend to choose people who resemble you in
terms of experience, training, worldview, etc. Proximity Principle
– Your network is populated by people who interact with you are on regular basis.
(Uzzi & Dunlap, 2005, pp. 56-57)
Ronald K. Bolender9
How to Build Your Network
Both of these principles hinder Both of these principles hinder the development of a diverse the development of a diverse
network.network.
Ronald K. Bolender10
How to Build Your Network
Forge Better Connections Shared Activities Principle
– The best way to break through the barriers created by the self-similarity and proximity principles is by using the shared activities principle.
– One can participate in and benefit from a variety of shared activities, including sports teams, community service ventures, interdepartmental initiatives, voluntary associations, for-profit boards, cross-functional teams, and charitable foundations.
(Uzzi & Dunlap, 2005, p. 58)
Ronald K. Bolender11
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Ronald K. Bolender12
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Here are the essential questions to ask yourself for making networking an effective relationship tool.
Do I have a 5-year networking plan? Do I have a list of the organizations where I can
benefit the most? Who are the most important people that I must
contact? How much time must I commit?
(Gitomer, 2006, p. 87)
Ronald K. Bolender13
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Universal Truth of Connecting
The real rule of “give and take” is:
Before you can take, you gotta give.
(Gitomer, 2006, p. 159)
Ronald K. Bolender14
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Providing valuevalue is a key to developing a rich, meaningful
network.
Ronald K. Bolender15
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Providing value to someone is a whole new way of thinking.
It means give first rather than “ask for” first. It means helping others so that they will look
forward to helping you back. (Gitomer, 2006, p. 51)
Ronald K. Bolender16
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
Mentorship Mentoring is connected with
social/professional networking. While finding a mentor is a great network
developing strategy—becoming a mentor is an indirect means for expanding/deepening one’s network.
Ronald K. Bolender17
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
– Role, model– Guide– Supporter– Adviser– Trusted counselor– Leader
– Friend– Listener– Knowledgeable– Shares resources– Networker
Carruthers (1993, p. 20) lists the following qualities related to mentorship.
Ronald K. Bolender18
Leadership: Social/Professional Networking and Mentorship
ReferencesBolender, R. K. (2007). Mount Vernon, OH: Unpublished. Carruthers, J. (1993). The principles and practice of mentoring. In
B. J. Caldwell & E. M. A. Carter (Eds.), The return of the mentor: Strategies for workplace learning (pp. 9-24). Washington, DC: The Falmer Press.
Gitomer, J. (2006). Little black book of connections: 6.5 assets for networking your way to rich relationships. Austin, TX: Bard Press.
Uzzi, B., & Dunlap, S. (2005, December). How to build your network. Harvard Business Review, 83(12), 53-60.