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that drive with mr hwang
Three ways to make yourself a successful networker
TODAY Weekend • December 8, 2007
Iain Ewing
WOULD you like me to tell you one of the secrets of being a success?Y
ou have to build your own Personal Brand, and you can do this through networking.
The first step is to volunteer. You can volunteer in many ways: with a charity, where you work, with the schools you used to attend.I started to network when I was a student at the University of Toronto, where I volunteered for campus theatre and debating activities. It worked so well for me, that I have been doing it ever since.By volunteering, you will meet people. And you never know whom you will meet.
When I came to Singapore in 1985, I volunteered to do pro bono sales training for the Share Team at the National Council of Social Services. A stranger walked into the room, and watched me deliver the last half-hour of the seminar. When I finished, the organiser called on him to thank me. He was Mr P Y Hwang, the then-deputy chairman of Temasek Holdings and former chairman of the Economic Development Board.After thanking me and the executives of the Share (Social Help and Assistance Raised by Employees) programme for volunteering, he offered to drive me home.
So, there I was, sitting in the back seat of Mr Hwang's limo, chatting with the man who was responsible for bringing the disk drive industry to Singapore!Mr Hwang asked me: "What else do you do?" And I was fortunate enough to have 10 minutes of his time to tell him.After that first meeting, he kept in touch with me, and was very helpful in making my career a success.
As a result of volunteering, one day, I guarantee, something interesting will happen to you. You will be invited to attend a party.
And the second step to networking for success is to accept the invitation.Go to as many different kinds of events as you can. You want to develop as wide a network as possible. That way, you will open yourself up to more opportunities.
The third step is to introduce yourself to people at the events you attend.
About seven years ago, I was invited to a MediaCorp Radio reception. It was a really nice party, with lots of people. Then, the compere announced that Mr Kenneth Tan, who was then CEO of MediaCorp Radio, was going to give a welcoming speech. I thought: "Oh no, booorrring!"But Mr Tan proceeded to give one of the best speeches I have ever heard in my life. Afterwards, I approached him and told him what a great speech he had given.He looked at me, and said: "Are you Iain Ewing?" I said: "Yes, how did you know?"Mr Tan replied: "I have your book, with your picture on the cover. No wonder you liked my speech, because I used your book to write it."He told me how his copy of my book, The Best Presentation Skills, was so well used, it was falling apart. So I offered to meet him for lunch and give him a new copy, signed by me. Since then, Mr Tan (now Golden Village's managing director) and I have become very good friends.How do you approach the right person?
If you don't know anyone, be brave and walk up to the closest person or group, say hello and offer your business card. People will almost always respond and give your their cards.Then comes the difficult part — making a connection. There is a real art to making interesting small talk, and finding some common ground. Ask people about themselves, and tell them a little about you.
Of course, sometimes, your attempts to be friendly can be rejected. It has happened to me, and I simply have to say to myself: "Maybe he's having a bad day," and try again with someone else.Once you have made a connection, how do you keep it going?
After meeting people at events, if I want to get to know them better, I send them an email inviting them for lunch or a drink. Not everyone wants to get to know me, but enough people do, so I am constantly building my personal brand by expanding my network.
I have been asked: "If you were not a Caucasian, would things have worked out so well for you?"I am happy to tell you that race, religion and cultural background have nothing to do with success at networking. I was at the opening of the Global Entropolis event on Nov 12, and the most confident and assertive networkers there were all from China. Many of them said "hello" to me before I could say "hello" to them. They gave me their business cards without me having to ask, told me what they did, and asked me about myself. I was really impressed.We Singaporeans have a lot to learn from them.
So, to summarise: Volunteer, accept invitations and introduce yourself. If you do these three things, you will be well on your way to success.
Happy networking!
The writer is the CEO and Principal Trainer of Ewing Communications
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