Effective Networking for Accessing and Developing Resources

1. Effective Networking for Accessing and Developing Resources Stanley Capela07/07/2011

2. Course Objectives • The participant will learn how to interface with other professionals thus developing a permanent base of resources upon which they will continually build. • The session will show participants how to access more commonly used resources by developing internal and external scans that include their organization, community, outside organizations etc. • The session will show participants how to make use of the internet to access info and referral websites that identify programs in their respective fields as well as community.

3. Networking • Let’s begin with an exercise. Group Exercise: • Turn to the person next to you and for the next five minutes talk about yourself. • At the end of five minutes, your partner should then take five minutes to talk about themselves. • At the end of the exercise, quickly jot down a few things that you learned about the individual. • Based on what you learned about your partner I would like to ask for volunteers to share with the group what he or she learned about their partner. Focus on the positive. • What are the one or two things that struck you about the person as a result of your discussion? • After a few people share their impression, end with a discussion of the importance of knowing what you want people to come away with when they talk with you. • More specifically, what is your brand?

4. Networking Key Thought: • The first part of the networking process begins with you. • Specifically who are you? • What image do you want to communicate to the person and/or group you interface with? • How you present yourself, will provide a lasting image to the other person that you talk with and if the image is positive when the time comes you need help and you outreach people will remember you and be more likely to help. • Refer them to Branding articles.

5. The Interaction The next step in the networking process: • Ask yourself a very simple question. • What do I want to walk away with during the interaction with a person and/or group? Key Thought: • Doing things for someone else with no preconditions can work wonders. • This is called the Marchesano Technique!

6. Marchesano Technique Okay so what is the Marchesano Technique? • I had a colleague who worked at HeartShare for a number of years. • In the old days, he was an assistant to a councilman, congressman etc. • His job was to respond to constituent queries. • Now over time he would use the following process. • Whenever he interacted with someone he would try to learn as much as possible about the person. • If the individual had a card he would often ask for the card. • In addition, as he tried to respond to the query he often had to go to someone else for suggestions. Over time, he would also develop a list of resources from this group. • After he would assist the person he would tell them if in the future he needed help in a particular area of this person’s expertise could he contact him or her? • Usually the answer was yes.

7. Marchesano Technique (cont) • So he took the card and would write on the back what the area of expertise was and kept it in his black book. • If in the future a query came up and the individual would be knowledgeable he would contact that person. • Over time he would periodically check his contacts and if the person left their position he would ask if he or she could identify the replacement and again the process begins again. • In the end, the Marchesano effect is designed to educate you on the importance of making the most use of an interaction. It also is a way to get your name known as well as provide info and referral sources if questions come up in the future. • The other major component is you get your name out there and over time you are perceived as a very helpful and caring person who knows where to go to get the answer.

8. Another example… the Ohio Farmers Wife. • When you go on vacation, you meet people. • In one instance as I was traveling with my family to see my sister-in-law in Arkansas we stayed at a motel in Missouri. As I was at the pool I struck up a conversation with this woman. During the course of the conversation I found out she makes primitive dolls. So I asked how she came up with the idea. She told me she had time on her hands and was a good sewer. So she used to take scarps of material and make dolls. One day a person saw the doll and asked where she bought it. She said she made it. Next the woman asked if you can make one for me. Then as time went on more people asked and at one point a family that runs a major arts and crafts show in the community invited her to showcase her dolls. One thing led to another and now she has a small business and sells dolls. So you might ask what does this have to do with networking. Well as a result of the conversation I learned a new technique on idea generation. Further, I learned new technique on how to get my name out there as an expert in the evaluation field. Key Thought: • Every interaction that takes place can be turned into a valuable piece of information that can help you do your job better.

9. Where do you go for information? • Over time there are many places one can obtain information. • However, most forget to begin with the obvious. • So let’s start with HeartShare. • This is a large organization with many programs. • Do you know who to go to for an answer to questions? • For instance, if you have a training question where would you go? • What about regulations, who is your source? • If you are looking to develop an idea, are there resources within the organization you can tap? Key Thought: • The key is doing an internal scan of your own organization. • Try to pinpoint key individuals who have a specific expertise who might be able to help you obtain information.

10. Exercise • Let’s take a few minutes and see if we can identify key resources within HeartShare. • Give them key questions they can put on a form. • Name • Program/Dept • Phone/Email • Info Expert • At the conclusion of the exercise, end the discussion with a suggestion when you leave here continue the process. • Refer to the Key Contact Sheet

11. The Community • The next step in the networking process is the community. • Very often we fail to realize that there are a variety of resources within the community where you live and work. • For example, are you aware many churches have a social service system within their parish? Some churches have friendly visitor programs, home health aide programs as well as other types of social service opportunities. Example: Caring for an Elderly Parent • I had a mother-in-law who was living with me. • She had cancer back in 85 and was a survivor. Unfortunately the cancer came back 10 years later. Now in dealing with doctors, the general feeling was my wife should quit her job and take care of her mother. Of course, that was not a realistic option. Since I go to St. Claire’s on Staten Island I get their parish bulletin. It just so happens they were having a three part series on death and dying. I went and there was a presentation by someone on hospice. Lo and Behold I found out that if you are stage 5 cancer you can receive free home health services for six months. It resolved my problem but I would not have known it if it weren’t for the fact that I read the parish bulletin.

12. The Community (cont’d) Example: Catholic Charities & Other Catholic Diocesan Agencies: SCO, St. Vincent Services, Little Flower, Mercy First • Another example, you know we are part of the Brooklyn Diocese. Did you ever think of developing a relationship with the other social service agencies that are part of the Catholic Federation in the Brooklyn Diocese? Key Thought: • Next time you have a chance, make a list of churches, local organizations, community based agencies etc. within the surrounding community at your program and your home. If at some point you have time, make it a point to introduce yourself to the church, etc. You never know when you might need services. Do a community scan and you develop a list of resources.

13. Social Media • What is social Media? • An umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.(http://www.wikipedia.org) • More simply put: “Social media is people having conversations online.” • Why is it important? • It’s changing the way we communicate, interact and network • Its a revolution…

14. The Social Media Revolution The Social Media Revolution Video Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 4th largest between the United States and Indonesia (note Facebook recently announced it reached 300 million users) 1 in 6 higher education students are enrolled in online curriculum % of companies using LinkedIn as a primary tool to find employee80% What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook… There are over 200,000,000 Blogs Because of the speed in which social media enables communication, word of mouth now becomes world of mouth More than 1.5 million pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared on Facebook…daily. Source: http://socialnomics.net/2009/08/11/statistics-show-social-media-is-bigger-than-you-think/

15. Internet Now there are other approaches you can take to identifying resources. For example, there is the internet that often has a wealth of information that can lead you in the right direction. Here are a number of websites • http://www.unitedwaynyc.org/?id=66 – United Way • www.Disabilityinfo.gov - DisabilityInfo.gov • WWW.NYC.GOV/AccessNYC - Access NYC • http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/checklists - The Evaluation Center • http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main - NY Office of Children and Family Services: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance • http://workhelp.org/index.html - WorkHelp.org

16. Websites (continued) • http://www.iaf-methods.org/index.php - International Association of Facilitators • http://www.acf.hhs.gov/index.html - Administration for Children and Family Services • http://www.childwelfare.gov/ - Child Welfare Information Gateway • http://www.aecf.org/AboutUs.aspx - Annie E. Casey Foundation • http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229 - TED • http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/ Administration for Children and Family Services • http://kamyabology.com/brandself/index.asp - Kamabology • http://gsociology.icaap.org/methods/training.html - Public Health training Centers • http://www.breakingthemould.co.uk/ - Breaking The Mould Training Sessions • http://www.attcnetwork.org/index.asp - Addiction Technology Transfer Center • http://www.tompeters.com/your_world/join_the_fray/ - Tom Peters! • http://users.actrix.co.nz/bobwill/ - Bob Williams • http://www.bobwilliams.co.nz – Bob Williams • http://www.americanhumane.org American Humane Association • http://www.camh.net – Center for Addiction and Mental Health • http://www.cdc.gov/brfss - Center for Disease Control • http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/d/m/dmr/droberts.htm - Dennis Roberts Web Page

17. Websites (continued) • http://ctb.ku.edu/en - Community Tool Box • http://www.mycoted.com/Category:Creativity_Techniques • http://www.wkkf.org/Default.aspx?LanguageID=0 Kellog Foundation • http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/blgrantsources.htm - US Government Grants • http://www.loc.gov/index.html - Library of Congress • http://ncadi.samhsa.gov – National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Abuse • http://www3.capwiz.com/mygov/dbq/officials/agencies/?command=search – Government Guide • http://www.fastweb.com – FastWeb Guide for Scholarships • http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal - Guide for writing proposals • Early Childhood Focus <http://www.earlychildhoodfocus.org > - Early Childhood Resources • http://www.training-games.com/newsletter/NewsletterIssue18.html • http://www.simpletruths.com – For Inspiration • http://www.seishindo.org/newsletter/2008/01-appreciating-life.htm - For Inspiration

18. More internet sources Listserves • Another resource for obtaining information and getting your name out there are listserves. • A few useful listserves • TrainersNetwork-OMI-owner@yahoogroups.com • Training-Ideas@yahoogroups.com • ailist@lists.business.utah.edu • r_e_a_c_h_o_u_t@yahoogroups.com Electronic Newsletters • Another key resource includes electronic newsletters that are often free. Again theses newsletters provide info that might meet your particular needs. • Below are just two that I use: • mckinseyquarterly.com – McKinsey Consulting • http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu – Wharton School of Business • http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov – Administration for Children and Families • http://www.childwelfare.gov – Child Welfare Information Gateway • http://www.aaidd.org/FYI/ - a newsletter that keeps you informed on developmental disabilities issues

19. One final thought on listservs includes an exercise: • Take a time out. List the skills you want to develop over the next few years. Once you have identified them, search out listserves that consist of those groups with the specific skill set and connect with them on the listserv. • Case in point, my area of interests is evaluation and training. • I belong to a variety of listserves that meet that need. • So when I have an evaluation question, I go to my evaltalk list serve. • The email goes out to over 10,000 evaluators all over the world. • Usually I get an answer to my question. After doing this for a while I developed a reputation for being a guru in non profit evaluation because I am active on very specific listserves. Over time you develop friendships but more importantly connections that become valuable as you strive to further your career.

20. Associations The last network focuses on associations. Specifically what is your field of interest? Mine is program evaluation. Therefore I belong to the American Evaluation Association, American Society for Quality and Canadian Evaluation Society. Join an association; usually these groups have resources that can meet your need. Get involved. It provides a way to network with other folks. In the end it provides an avenue for strengthening your career. Also, check with your respective division. More than likely HeartShare is a member agency. For example, HeartShare is a member of NYSACRA. Further, Evelyn Alvarez is on the NYSACRA Board. Key Associations: • NYSACRA (Developmental Disabilities) • IAC (Developmental Disabilities) • COFCCA (Children and Family Services) • COA (Council on Accreditation)

21. Group Exercise: • Now we covered a great deal of material so let us see if you got it. Case Study • The Smith family has lived in Bensonhurst for the past twenty years. They have three children two boys and one girl. One boy is 12 and has serious behavior problems, the second boy is five and autistic and the third is a 17 year old girl who is sexually active and has been diagnosed with HIV. • On Monday there was a fight between the father and daughter for staying out late. While an argument ensued, the father hit his daughter and a neighbor saw it. The autistic son is scared and runs away. The 12 year old boy attends the McKinley Beacon Program and says something to the group worker. • Break up into groups and • identify alternate resources • outline ways to present yourselves • outline how you will reach out to others and interact with them? • and integrate your networking activities into a solution. • You have 15 minutes.

22. So I end this networking session with final thoughts • First, develop your brand or your package. • Second, take time to develop connections and identify info resources within HeartShare. • Third, do a scan of your local community. What resources exist and how can these resources help you. • Fourth, look at other providers such as Catholic Charities as a resource. Remember, we are a part of the Brooklyn Diocese you can tap into other agencies. • Fifth, use the internet like United Way to identify resources. • Sixth, spend time to set goals for your career. Once you have identified your career goals search out websites, associations, listserves, that may meet your need. Key talk, get out there and become know. • Seventh and finally every interaction leads to a reaction – use your time wisely, think out of the box and realize every person you come in contact with might be a potential resource – remember the Marchesano effect. • In the end there is always someone out there that has the piece of info you need.

23. Articles and Handouts The following articles are included in your packet some are also online at the following links: • The Brand Called You by Tom Peters http://www.fastcompany.com/node/28905/print • The art of nimble networking http://www.management-issues.com/2008/2/27/blog/the-art-of-nimble-networking.asp • Trust in Transition: An Interview with Karen Stephenson http://www.hypergene.net/blog/weblog.php?id=P336 • Creating a Positive Professional Image by Laura Morgan Roberts http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4860.html • Creating the Conversations That Create Innovation by Peter Skarzynski and Rowan Gibson (pg 4 in Leading Innovation Review) http://harvardbusiness.org/email/newsletters/hmu/online/pdfs/U08050f2.pdf • Take a Strategic Approach to Persuasion by Christina Bielaszka-DuVernay

24. Thank you!