In my recent post, Should You Rehabilitate or Demolish Your LinkedIn Network, we focused on determining how to strategically consider, connect, nurture and add value to yourself and your network. Reading or rereading this post and taking action on it will present you with a clear view of opportunities and gaps. Once you see the assets and liabilities, create a plan for moving forward. Remember, your network can serve as your focus group, referral sources, advisory group, influencers, promoters, truth-tellers and more. Don’t miss the chance to know them.
And, perhaps it’s time to trade in your “what can they do for me” attitude and assume a posture of how you can assist, refer and add value to them. How are you going to increase your professional influence in the upcoming weeks, months and years?
Do you even care to? Let’s start there. If you don’t care to be an expert in your field, build your professional brand and business, prepare and extend your career to increase your marketability and life purpose, this article is not for you. If you are someone who is interested, read on and take action.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to answer the questions on the worksheet below and determine three steps you can take to expand your presence, network and influence for mutual professional benefit. Remember, doing business is an exchange of energy and value. How much are you adding to the equation?
Worksheet: Are You Ready to Be An Influencer?
Is the influence you create worth the effort? If not, you may want to reconsider your answers and go a bit deeper.
If so, it’s a complete miss if you don’t intentionally do something about it today, right? It’s you choosing to not take advantage of the skills, talents, insight and experience you’ve acquired as a professional. As a young professional, it’s the passion, skills and commitment that speaks louder than the insight and experience, and that’s okay at this phase in your career.
Spend some time with this and consider it a work in progress. Come back to it every quarter with each new job or major life experience. The people I know who don’t have the largest networks but the most significant networks have large, generous spirits and a mindset that invites others in. Be one of those people and you will never fall short when it’s time for a new job, career or business opportunity.
Check out a couple of other relevant blog posts:
Figure Out LinkedIn Before You Join Other Professional Networking Sites
A LinkedIn Plan that Places You In Front of the Right People