Be Respectful

An article in Wired magazine reminds us that when we are meeting new people, we should always be respectful. The carpet cleaner we're meeting might be the MD's brother-in-law. In our How to Build a Network cast, we recommend you are indiscriminate in your relationship building for this very reason.

The results are not instant. It's unlikely that the next person that you sit next to on a plane is the person who can secure you a $1M deal, but they might know someone who knows someone who can. Or they might be able to secure you that deal in five years.

The results come from cumulative dedication to building relationships over the length of your career. Steady daily and weekly commitment to the long term result. Every time we make one contact and follow up, we're making an investment in future success.

http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/05/building-a-network