Here’s a story that shows how Alan uncorked a bureaucratic bottleneck and got the project done.
“I was meeting with my co-worker, Tom, to go over progress on a project we were leading,” Alan, our past client said. Tom complained, “For weeks I’ve been trying to get the info we need from the IT department – no luck.” Alan said to Tom, “I'll be right back.”
When he returned he said, with a smile, “You’ll find the info you need in your email when you get back to your office."
Tom looked incredulous. “How did you do that??? And in 5 minutes! I've been trying to get that out of them for weeks."
Alan said, "It didn’t take 5 minutes. It took 5 years. That's how long I've known Charlie – I worked with him on a project, and we make it a point to stay in touch."
Training by Contacts Count gives employees the skills to “stay in touch.” To banish bureaucratic bottlenecks we teach practical, down-to-earth skills like Alan uses, such as how to:
- Start a conversation and end a conversation
- Make your value visible to others with stories and examples
- Teach people what to come to you for, count on you for, recommend you for
- Figure out a good next step when you want more of a relationship
- Avoid asking for too much too soon . . . or too little too late
- Be a “go-to” person whom people see as a resource
- Mentor and support others to give their best
- Show that you like other people (when choosing who to work with others likeability is valued more than competence!!!)
- And Much More
Here’s what Kwame Ullman, a Medical Device Executive, said after attending a training at his workplace. “I was immediately taken by the applicability of Lynne’s advice. She presented sound ideas on how to network. I turn to Make Your Contacts Count when preparing for key industry events. It’s filled with tools to build sustainable relationships. That training and the book were a professional turning point for me and changed how I think about nurturing relationships.”
