Business Networking and Sex - Ivan Misner [17]
“What about leadership?” I asked the dean. “You teach leadership, don’t you? How are courses in leadership less of a soft science than networking?” He had no answer.
Networking is a field that is finally being codified and structured. This “soft science,” along with social capital and EQ, is being taught, though unfortunately not in our major business schools. Much like advanced sales training, networking can be found only in post-degree programs such as those of entrepreneur Brian Tracy and professional organizations such as BNI and The Referral Institute.
THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION
Despite the benefits of social media, face-to-face networking is still the most effective and powerful way to achieve your goals and to help others. It still isn’t taught enough in college.
I believe that as more and more business schools open their doors to professors who want to include networking in their marketing curriculum, we will see a major shift in the landscape. We’ll see business schools actually teaching a subject that businesspeople say is important. We’ll see entrepreneurs coming out of universities equipped with another strategy for business success. We’ll see networking utilized at optimum capacity in the business world.
—WAYNE BAKER, PH.D., ROBERT P. THOME PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AND
PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE STEPHEN M. ROSS SCHOOL
OF BUSINESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (HTTP://WAYNEBAKER.ORG)
Networking is the mechanism for developing word-of-mouth techniques and social capital together, each highly crucial components of creating business. Business schools around the world need to get serious about teaching this vital element of success. In much the same way businesses that fail to adopt cutting-edge technologies will fall to the wayside, so too will schools that neglect to include these courses. Educators with actual business experience know this and must feel frustration, acknowledging the gap between the real and simulated worlds of education and actual life.
Many of the seasoned professionals who took part in our study emphasized the importance of networking skills as an integral part of understanding business. This respondent even felt its power as a way to equalize opportunities:
Networking creates a level playing field for men and women, equalizing us and enabling us to learn from one another’s experiences, both good and bad. I highly recommend networking to anyone who wants to learn, grow, and be highly successful in life’s journey. This is definitely the environment in which you can achieve your goals.
Another respondent went one step further, adding a point that many studies have substantiated:
Most business opportunities are either found or created by networking.
These quotes express just how life-changing networking really is:
It is interesting to trace pivotal moments (business AND personal) back in time and discover that they typically originated from a very tiny decision—usually a choice to talk or meet with someone, or to reach out. Knowing that, I always value each new contact as a possible life-changing moment (for both sides).
Earlier in my career, I belonged to an executive women’s service club. During the course of that membership, was fired from a very good job.
I went to the next club meeting with my tail between my legs, stood up to introduce myself as we always did for each other, and told them about my day. By the end of the meeting those women had three appointments for me for new jobs! It was wonderful.
Almost every job I’ve gotten over the course of my career is a result of networking. In each case a friend or business associate referred me.
As more business schools hire professors who want to include networking in their marketing curriculum, we will see a major shift