Second, make a commitment to yourself to excellence in your profession. Strive to be in the top 1 percent in your chosen field, and don’t deceive yourself.

Finally, embrace the idea that what you do off the job, determines how far you will go on the job.

People are drawn to interesting people. So what does it take to be an interesting person? Become an avid reader about trends in business and current events. Spend time expanding your vocabulary, and constantly hone your speaking and writing skills. Be a good storyteller with a keen sense of historical perspectives, and an appropriate sense of humor.

As you interact with others, be a good and active listener with the ability to ask pointed follow-up questions. Find the good in people and transfer that to others. Develop a credible ability to connect parties that have a mutual interest, and when you see something that may be of interest to a contact, send it along. Don’t ever complain and maintain an attitude of gratitude.

Become a thought leader and find avenues to present your ideas and remain open to others’ ideas. Get meaningfully involved in your community. Select good leaders and be willing to lead yourself. Remember names and dress in a manner that shows respect for the parties you are meeting.

I closed with the deadly sins of networking. The first killer is behavior that is self-serving and manipulative, rationalized by greed. Second is the unreasonable expectation of a relationship, which usually displays itself in an inappropriate request, or timing. The final sin is a lack of sincerity in your approach or becoming judgmental of others.

In the end, networking should not be about what you get, but rather what you become: a valued member in your community and profession.

So let’s get to work.

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