This past November (yes, I am late getting this story to the blog), I was published in the Project Management Institute sponsored “PM Network Magazine” on the topic of Project Management Networking.  Surely this was an ego boost for me, and an opportunity to flex my PMP muscles by contributing what I knew to benefit the Project Management Industry.

Here is the article:  PM Network Magazine - Nov 2008 - Connect the Dots (PDF)

Interviewed for the article by Neil Hodge via trans-atlantic phone call between the UK and the USA, I offered Neil a wide perspective of how project managers could benefit by expanding their network and by leveraging their networking tools.  Unfortunately Neil only took a minor fraction of what we discussed for his article, as he had other subject matter experts who provided input and all this good advice had to fit into 2 1/2  magazine pages.  The good news (and I appreciate this tremendously) is that Neil gave Planphoria a really good plug within PM Network.  (This is Planphoria’s first industry trade mag shout out!)  Despite this, much of what was said was lost as it never made it to the article, so I thought it prudent to clean up some of the notes that I had prepared for the interview and offer them here.

Key Benefits of Project Manager Networking

• Projects, by definition, are temporary and good people are sometimes hard to come by. Knowing who they are before you need them and where they are is important.  The circle of people you know is only so big and that is where networking is important.

• In many circumstances, we know where the bodies in our buried within our management style and we do the same thing over and over, because it is the system that we know and nothing yet has burned us bad enough to change it.  Networking with a mentor offers an opportunity to break from these habits and use a new technology or process.

• It is important to get an unbiased, objective opinion from other Project Managers. I am aware that CEO’s use this technique with other CEO’s to gain situational clarity.  I believe that it is helpful for PM’s to have the same thing.

• We understand Project Managers to be self-starters, disciplined toward delivery.  We are the the ones who ensure fingers remain on keyboard (in the IT community) to produce value.  We are the Jungle Guides who machete’ the vines and obstacles in front of our team so that work can progress.   We need to meet the leaders we can learn from.

• All Project Managers should be on the path of learning their craft, some are farther along than others.   Like other professionals it is important for Project Managers to find a mentor the business term for guru, whether a favorite author, network and communicate with them on a regular basis.  Without them, it is difficult to grow beyond what we believe our potential to be and expose ourselves to  growth path oriented opportunities.

• I like the word guru.  It represents mastery, while representing humility – traits necessary if you want to learn anything.   To be a guru I believe one has to be both a teacher and student in the same body, and at times teach oneself.  Therefore I believe that those who can achieve guru status have a responsibility to mentor in order to be a better student.

Project Managers and Networking Opportunities

• There are Project Managers who make good use of networking opportunities, as there are those who find it difficult in their 60+ hour work weeks to find time for it.  For those managers, I think my colleague said it best, (quoting the nephew of Alexander Graham Bell) “anyone who works forty hours a week will never meet the people who will make him rich and famous”.

• Many Project Managers have not learned the art of professional face-to-face networking other than to find a job, or as a night out away from family to eat a meal and drink with colleagues.  They do not question what they want out of it, and do not realize that it should not only be about work, but professional advancement.

• On the virtual side, I have received numerous connections from services like LinkedIn from other PMP’s around the world.  I think that this is a valid service when it comes to meeting people, however I don’t think that managers have really figured out how to use it to its full potential.   Understanding and enhancing the value of networking with other PMs should be a cultural element of PMI membership, and a realized benefit of one’s own professional growth.

Networking Approaches - Internet  or Face-to-Face Contact?

• To some extent project managers make this determination on if they are an introvert or an extrovert. I am an introvert so my natural bias is to say virtual is better.  However, even introverts need a good night out, and to some extent I believe face-to-face networking and virtual networking go hand in hand.

• I think that the recent Web 2.0 technology Internet Networking paradigm, coined by O’Reilly and Associates, works well to help  organization members network for all the time they are not face to face, and allows us to identify, if not search for, synergy.

• Back in the early days of the Web, web pages were static essays, faq’s and database driven row and column data.   Websites became stale because webmasters were the central point of update.  With Web 2.0, we create a sense of community, trusting visitors to contribute, and allow the virtual community of visitors to come down on those who contribute negatively, throw fire or who are otherwise out of line.

• Web 2.0 is a new way of using the internet allows us to use two different kinds of computers during our surfing experience, the electronic kind on which you type to discover information sources and data,  and the organic computer within your head that you use to interpret the data, develop a position, formulate an opinion and post it to the collective organic Web 2.0 mind.   Different from the old ways of the web which was more like a cluttered bulletin board, Web 2.0 networking is an organic networking ecosystem where visitors are encouraged to  contribute their interpretation of the topic in the name of discovering truth or fact.

So You Think Virtual Networking is Better… Can you prove that?

• Before I  select the “best” way to network, my opinion should have basis by being the networking method that contains the most value to the person networking.  Let me take you through that.   When I think of an organization of people, whether it in a network, association, company, or project team, I imagine it as a big box into which talented people are placed and on which the leader has drawn the name of the organization with magic marker.  Without people, the box is empty, bearing just the name and the cardboard sides and from the outside appears to hold little value.   As the box fills with people, talent, opinion, decision and experience - the box begins to increase in value.

• As a Project Manager, I am a metrics guy, so I tend to seek metrics that describe the value of a box containing people networking.  I call this metric: Potential Network Power.  To identify Potential Network Power, I use a simple formula (based on the communication interface formula found in the PMI PMBOK) that identifies the number of interfaces between people communicating and then multiplies the number of interfaces against interaction frequency. The formula is: (n(n-1)/2) * a, where “n” are the total number of users networking and “a” is an assessment of interaction frequency  between people between 1 (smallest) and 10 (greatest).  In virtual networks such as MySpace, you will find Web 2.0 generates user loyalty to the point where  interaction frequency is quite high.  By comparison, the last PMI Chapter meeting I went to, there were approximately 350 people attending. This is a tremendous tunout.   It also means that if everyone shook hands least once, there would be 61,075 individual handshakes.  Despite this, I would have to rate the frequency of those handshakes at a 1 on the interaction frequency scale for the hour of networking time that was available before, after and between presentations.  In contrast, most virtual networks have greater interaction frequency in excess  of 5.  And that evening, I can’t say that I interacted with more than fifteen people.

• Let’s  experiment.. If my goal was to meet all the people there individually and seek to understand what each person did and was about in order to advance my objectives, I would only be able to spend 10 seconds with each person. Consider that there are also precious seconds wasted approaching the next person,  seconds spent on handshake and greetings, and at the same time, they are trying to meet me, because after all, networking is a two way street.  Considering that all 350 of us are organized enough to make good use of the time, we each get 1-2 seconds to figure out what the other is about and what we can do for each other.  Of course, as we meet people, we tend want more time with the ones that can help us, and less with others that cannot.   This kind of face-to-face networking this scenario is ridiculous, and impossible to do without severely breaching professional rules of ettiquite!

• Virtual Internet Networking is open 24×7x365,  networking happens on your free schedule time, and saves time by discovering the people you want to meet face to face.   Virtual Networking is also a good way to do your homework and get more out of face to face networking.  Once you have limited a whole ocean of people to a small swimming pool, face to face meetings become much easer and productive.
• Virtual Networking is better, but face to face networking includes beer.  There is a tradeoff.

Using Networking Within One’s Present Job to Improve Performance of  the Team or Organization

• It’s not all about finding a new job.  I think that finding another job is one purpose of networking and one that has worked so well for so long that it is sometimes ill interpreted as all networking is good for.  At one of my previous jobs, I would throw on my suit in the morning, rather than my regular business clothes in support of my evening plans to attend a networking opportunity.  It was not uncommon for people at work to act surprised and ask me where I was interviewing.

• I encourage Project Managers to consider networking, another form of training, or collaborative learning  and network to seek the synergies, information that can be adopted and enhanced or jointly arrive at a conclusion that advances the objectives or understanding of you and the person with whom you are networking.   Whatever you learn, can later be disseminated to the team, or organization and label you as the guru for that subject.

Top Networking Tips - Network as Effectively as Possible

1. Represent the company to which you are employed – even if you are job seeking.  You will come off as a better professional that they will want to hire, and will increase your value by being talent that is not so desperate to leave.  Carry business cards, and your own name tag.  You can do the name tag yourself with more flair which helps you stand out as a professional.  Remember, it goes on the right lapel of your suitcoat as this is your on your handshake hand.  As you shake hands, your tag is easily noticeable.  Your first name should be in big letters, last name under it in small letters.  Dress the rest up graphically if possible.
2. Remember that others may be using the networking event to find another job.  Have a firm understanding of available job opportunities within your company, and be on the prowl for new talent.  This empowers you with the people you meet as it gives you more creds as a “player” with your employer.
3. Start your own virtual networking clique’.  I receive business cards all of the time from a wide variety of sources.  If you don’t interact with people, you lose them.  Ning, at http://www.ning.com is an easy and free way to do this.  By working a virtual network, they new people can interact with other people you know.  When you need them, they will be there.
4. Let the other guy talk – then talk.  Let people you network with talk about anything they want to, and learn where it is appropriate to discuss your objectives, where you can talk shop, and where you should just talk about the weather.  Learn these words: “Do you play golf?” I heard a recent statistic that mentioned that 35% of American Business happens on the golf course.  I cannot say this is accurate, however sometimes, it is unfruitful to worry about some things.
5. Smile, be outgoing and introduce those you meet to others you know.  By doing so you share your influence and grants you referent power by making it easier on those you meet and those you know to meet new people.  If you get good at this, you can achieve “Godfather” status, where one day the people you meet can be called upon to perform a service for you.
6. Remember that while you are pursuing your objectives, the people you are networking with are pursing their own.  Assume a helpful stance, even if it is a matter of introducing them to someone who can help.
7. Don’t drink a whole lot.  You are there to meet new people, learn, influence, advance your objectives, and gain referent power.  It’s not a party – it is about advancing your project, your company, and your status.  Drinking has a tendency knock you off your game,make you seem like an ass, and make you ramble on like an idiot that nobody wants to talk to.   Remember, you only have a single chance to make a first impression!

-Saul Rosenberg, PMP