by Don Harkey
Have you ever noticed that successful people often seem to "know everybody"? At a first glance, you might think that its just because people know who they are. However, if you spend some time with successful business people, you will find out that they not only have lots of contacts, the contacts they have are high quality and interactive. In other words, its not just the quantity of relationships that is key, it is the quality.
A key to business is developing relationships and a key to relationships is that they are a 2 way street. Randy Mayes' talks about a "Relational Progressive Model" (RPM)in terms of developing any relationship (applied here to businesses). These steps include:
1) Connection - Both parties meet and recognize the potential for value in knowing each other.
2) Communication - People begin to converse, share ideas, and get to know each other.
3) Cooperative Action - Both parties now see real value in each other and begin to partner, often in a very simple way (ex: give each other a referral).
4) Commendation - "Potential" value becomes "real" value through the experiences of the cooperative action. In other words, both sides are seeing the other person live their value.
5) Commitment - A relationship based on trust has been developed.
Very successful people know that valuable business (and personal) relationships occur only when all 5 steps are taken. It is easy to collect business cards from different network events, and MOST people who network live in steps 1 and 2. The REAL relationships occur in steps 3-5. Believe me... one REAL relationship is worth a thousand business cards!
Just some advice for people "on the move"!
No comments:
Post a Comment