The Foundation of Networking: Its Not Rocket Science

Commandment 1

Love

When we choose to simply love, our giving and receiving becomes unconditional. We can listen and not be caught up in the vicious cycle of judgment.

We can also watch people and suspend judgment because we are learning to understand that our perception of an individual's behavior does not make it so. This is the essence of friendliness.

Someone once said, "I keep the telephone of my mind open to love and peace, when fear, doubt and negative call they get a busy signal, soon they will forget my number."

Commandment 2

Smile

A smile makes us appear approachable. Some people are scared by a smile simply because they are not accustomed to unsolicited warmth and acceptance.

Everyone needs acceptance. If we do not reach out and smile, who will? Smile just for the beauty of smiling. It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 muscles to smile. Put your muscles to good use and smile.

A smile, like a butterfly, brings beauty to the world simply through its existence.

You can create the same experience by sharing your smile.

Commandment 3

Touch

We are inclined to take the art of networking for granted. In doing so, we inadvertently violate unspoken laws governing communication. Be considerate of personal space. Upon meeting someone new, do not assume it is okay to touch him or her.

Be mindful that communication is 7% words, 38% tone/inflection and 55% non-verbal.

Be careful of your non-verbal messages, especially when you are dealing with the opposite sex. Use caution until you can safely determine that your new contacts, friends and loved ones are comfortable with touching. Once you learn this, you are free to enjoy touching as part of your communication.

Commandment 4

Humor

Although humor is a quality that we all possess, we are usually somewhat reluctant to display it. Humor eases pain, releases burdens and can keep your stress levels down, use it! Learn to literally live until you die.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "Most people die with the music still in them, while others live their lives desperately looking for the music."

A friend recently made reference to a delightful person with a pleasant spirit who made his transition. She was very sad by the loss of this person whom she did not know personally. I asked her why was she so sad, she remarked that whenever she saw him, he was so very pleasant and she missed the beauty of his spirit and his humor.

Commandment 5

Laughter

Laughter, like humor, will keep the blues away. Many times we laugh at others, but the true secret to the benefits of laughter is being able to laugh at yourself. Enjoy yourself; you are going to be with yourself for the rest of your life!

Other people want to be around people who enjoy laughing and will go out of their way to include them.

Most of us enjoy being around people that can bring the beauty of laughter to our atmosphere. I still enjoy watching "I Love Lucy," after all these years it still makes me laugh.

Commandment 6

Lagniappe (Lan yapp)

This is a southern term, which means "a little something extra," simply share an extra portion of your kindness, joy, peace and patience with those you meet. It is nice to be important but more important to be nice.

That little something extra will create goodwill, trust and inspire confidence, which will make you an excellent candidate for the job, contract or business venture.

I'll give you that little something extra at the end of the book, so keep reading.

Commandment 7

Warmth/Care

When it comes to networking and warmth, sincerity is the key element. That sincerity guides the spirit of networking and is what sets this book apart from the dozens of others providing networking advice.

The power of genuine concern, particularly when it comes to networking, can be summed in the advice passed down by our grandmothers. "People do not care how much you have and how much you know, until they know how much you care."

In conclusion, remember the "Networking Factor... everybody is important!"

Ms. Smallwood-McKenzie is a Networking Coach in Los Angeles and she coaches small businesses and professionals in expanding their political, business, and social bases. She is the Author of "The 101 Commandments of Networking: Common Sense But Not Common Practice." Enjoy Free Preview compliments of http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com or visit Amazon.com to read Customer Reviews of this guide. This networking guide is available wherever fine books are sold. Janice's e-mail address is ConfirmedCoach@netscape.net

---

Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:51:58 GMT South Texas begins cleanup after Hurricane Dolly - The Associated Press Calgary Herald South Texas begins cleanup after Hurricane Dolly The Associated Press - 30 minutes ago HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Residents across south Texas slogged through knee-deep muddy waters, tiptoed around downed power lines and dug through debris Thursday, but were thankful that Hurricane Dolly didn't pack the wallop they had feared. Video: Tropical Storm Dolly Causes Flood Worries AssociatedPress Dolly weakens, pushes inland USA Today East Valley Tribune - AHN - KIII TV3 - KVIA all 7,399 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:21:14 GMT Arizona reports first West Nile death of 2008 - Bizjournals.com TheMedGuru Arizona reports first West Nile death of 2008 Bizjournals.com - 1 hour ago Arizona has reported its first death from the West Nile virus this year. It also is the first West Nile death in the US this year. First bird in Nassau tests positive for West Nile Newsday Fighting West Nile Alexandria Gazette Packet KTAR.com - AZFamily - FOXBusiness - Boston Globe all 231 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:45:00 GMT Would UN Security Council Postpone Any Prosecution of Sudanese Leader? - Voice of America Voice of America Would UN Security Council Postpone Any Prosecution of Sudanese Leader? Voice of America - 1 hour ago By Joe De Capua As the International Criminal Court (ICC) considers whether to issue arrest warrants for Sudanese President al-Bashir, some are calling on the UN Security Council to block the action. Sudan's Beshir pledges peace as he leaves Darfur AFP Jordan's lower house opposes charges against Sudanese president Xinhua Hindu - Los Angeles Times - istockAnalyst.com - AllAfrica.com all 1,823 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:30:10 GMT Swimmer’s Positive Test Puts Olympic Berth Doubt - New York Times New York Times Swimmer’s Positive Test Puts Olympic Berth Doubt New York Times - 30 minutes ago By KAREN CROUSE The swimmer Jessica Hardy has not been penalized for a doping offense despite published reports that she tested positive for a banned substance. Video: Source:Hardy Tests Positive for Banned Substance AssociatedPress Sequence doesn't make Sense Los Angeles Times Gay Wired - Palo Alto Online - The Wenatchee World Online - The Associated Press all 750 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:21:30 GMT Health Buzz: A $500 million Antismoking Campaign and Other Health News - U.S. News & World Report BBC News Health Buzz: A $500 million Antismoking Campaign and Other Health News U.S. News & World Report - 3 hours ago Billionaires Bill Gates and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced yesterday that they'll contribute a combined $500 million to a worldwide antismoking campaign, the New York Times reports. Video: Gates, Bloomberg Pool Riches to Fight Smoking AssociatedPress The $500 million war on smoking Minneapolis Star Tribune Reuters - Newsday - Economist - California Healthline all 639 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:43:30 GMT FOX News Poll: No Bounce for Obama From Overseas Trip - FOXNews ABC News FOX News Poll: No Bounce for Obama From Overseas Trip FOXNews - 27 minutes ago By Dana Blanton The significant news coverage Barack Obama is receiving on his foreign trip has not translated into a bounce in his numbers, a just-released FOX News poll shows. Wanted: 2 million poll workers for November The Associated Press Comment by Leonard Steinhorn Prof, School of Communication, American University New York Times - CNN - United Press International - PolitickerCA all 689 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:24:50 GMT Ford Has $8.7 Billion Loss, Shifts Away From Trucks (Update4) - Bloomberg Ford Has $8.7 Billion Loss, Shifts Away From Trucks (Update4) Bloomberg - 44 minutes ago By Bill Koenig July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co., the world's third- biggest automaker, posted a record quarterly loss of $8.7 billion and accelerated a conversion to fuel-efficient vehicles to wean itself from money-losing trucks. Ford's Worst Quarter Ever BusinessWeek Ford Posts Loss of $8.7 Billion on Asset Woes New York Times Forbes - CNNMoney.com - Reuters - Los Angeles Times all 1,181 news articles Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:07:48 GMT RSS Feed Reader Increase Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Is The Company You Keep Hurting Your Business?

When you look at your friends, it's like looking into... Read More

Network Marketing

Network marketing is the ordinary person's best opportunity to make... Read More

Networking: Breaking into the Buzz

Breaking into conversational groups is one of the things people... Read More

Are You Really Listening: The Importance of Strong Communication Skills

Let's face it, when most people think of IT professionals,... Read More

How to Generate More Business by Telling People What You Do

What do you tell people when asked what you do?... Read More

Acknowledging Referrals! What?s in It For You?

I grew up in a household where saying thank you... Read More

Giving the Gift of Your Name (The Networking Factor)

Although, this is about giving the gift of your name... Read More

Networking - Facts to Ponder

Right here in Europe, the very last continent to enter... Read More

Come Home Rich - How to Get the Most out of Your Next Conference

Success in your career depends upon how well you manage... Read More

Building Business Relationships in a Roomful of Strangers

You approach a stranger at an association meeting or industry... Read More

Volunteering for a Networking Group

When is it appropriate to volunteer to take a position... Read More

Alliances: More Than A One Way Relationship

What is the biggest advantage of forming an alliance?Everyone has... Read More

Jump Start Your Network

Networking is often identified as a key business building activity... Read More

Getting Leads

How many leads do you pass on?As a reminder, you... Read More

The Secrets of Effective Networking

Before we talk about specific networking tips I want to... Read More

8 Ways To Develop Confidence In New Situations

Do you enjoy one-on-one networking, however, the thought of walking... Read More

62 Ways to MAXIMIZE Your Approachability

If you walk into your local bookstore and pick up... Read More

A Vital Habit For Selling Big Ticket Items

I hope the title of this article aroused your curiosity!... Read More

Should You Offer Commissions For Customer Referrals?

As a small business owner you may find yourself in... Read More

Growing Your Network of People Can be Easy and Fun!

A few years back when I moved to Charlotte, NC... Read More

Measuring Value for a Networking Group

How do you measure a group's worth to your organization?It... Read More

Plan for the Event or Flounder

Rather than being there to eat the food and drink... Read More

The Quest for Passive Income

Passive Income, residuals, royalties three ways to get paid multiple... Read More

Power Networking: Getting Your Name Out There!

Today's economy presents some very special challenges to people who... Read More

Alcohol & Events

Many people associate alcohol with relaxation and fun, so it... Read More