Our newest guest author writes about the networking lessons learned while out fishing in the deep seas. As the captain leads her boat to the big catch, Judy shares her best tips for making a great first impression and keeping the relationship strong long thereafter.
The similarities with our work were as glaring as the sunlight bouncing off the waves. The goal of both enterprises is the same: to hook that perfect catch. The process is the same too: targeted cooperation between a leader, his immediate mates and extended network of colleagues.
In the end, we are all ship captains, searching for the next big catch. And we all need to use our networks to help us land it. Here are my three tips on growing your relationship capital, in nautical terms of course.
1. Always be trawling.
Have a set of starter questions at the ready—about where they grew up and what their parents do, where they went to school and what they studied. (Don’t worry about being annoying; the person who asks interesting questions tends to be remembered, even if it means the responder does most of the talking.) From those answers relationships are made. And from those relationships come secrets about where the next impressive catch might be hiding.
“Have questions ready. From them, relationships are made, & those relationships hold the secrets to your next catch.”
2. Read the current.
In all the years the donor had given to the cause, she’d never been called, let alone offered a meal. Over the next months, what began as a moment of mutual appreciation grew into a trusting relationship that led to a host of new connections in that city, connections that generated an additional $700,000 of revenue. The captain of the ship is often credited with the catch, but rarely does he get to it on his own.
3. All hands on deck.
RelSci is a technology solutions company that helps create competitive advantage for organizations through a crucial yet vastly underutilized asset: relationship capital with influential decision makers. Stay on top of our networking and leadership articles by subscribing to the RelSci blog!