insights! Time is often a major barrier to our ability to network. If you are working flat-out each day, then your time is probably at a premium, and networking opportunities may be few and far between. This is when industry events, such as annual conferences, really come into their own. If you are going to a conference, then make sure that you at least talk to the people sitting next to you, or make conversation with someone new, over lunch. Remember that not all networking is about business outcomes, per se. You can set networking goals for business, social, personal interest, or professional development purposes. Sometimes, these areas will overlap, and a social contact can easily develop into a useful business connection. Having made some contacts, the next challenge is to make something of the opportunity. Often, this involves making use of the uniqueness which sets you (or your ECE centre) apart from others around you. Many years ago, when my wife and I were starting our family, we did the rounds by visiting local primary schools, and putting our children’s names on various waiting lists. One local school asked about our early childhood education arrangements, and then mentioned that they had a relationship with a local ECE centre. Why was this relevant? Because they worked closely with the centre to facilitate the transition of children to the primary school! In practice, this included shared values, site visits, an early look at incoming students, and the use of similar systems and processes. Less obviously, this also meant that the school and the ECE centre crosspromoted each other, within their networks, and had strong selling points which set them apart from other competitors. Clever stuff! Being memorable is an important part of networking. It makes it harder for people to forget you, and easier for them to know how to help. Remember, that whatever sets you apart from other ECE centres is the thing that you want to tell people about, because that is what is going to attract them to your centre, in preference to someone else’s. What do you specialise in, or really excel at? For instance, if your centre has a strong religious focus, then work with your local church, religious groups, and local schools with a religious interest. Similarly, find your natural networking partners if you have a particular educational philosophy, or cultural niche. If you aren’t sure about which specialisations to follow, then look around for clues. Maybe you are in the middle of an area where there are many embassies and foreign diplomatic workers? Not only can you specialise in this area, but you can also offer opportunities to the families to become involved in local organisations and activities (starting with your own!). So, with all this in mind, let’s see if we can put some structure into our networking plan for the upcoming ECC conference later this year. Firstly, give yourself a clear purpose. Think about why you are networking, and what you want to get out of the experience. Ask yourself what the important issues are that you need to grapple with this year. Remember that networking isn’t about meeting everyone, but rather finding those people who will help you to solve a specific problem. Be strategic in your thinking. Secondly, do your homework. If you are going to conference this year, then think about the sort of people who you are likely to meet. The back issues of Swings and Roundabouts are a great place to start looking for ECE centres which are doing amazing things. These are the people with ideas, experiences, contacts, and insights, who you will learn from. Thirdly, set some goals. What do you want to talk about? What do you want to learn from these people? Remember, that it isn’t about ‘just meeting them’, so much as putting them to work for you (in a nice sense, of course!). But remember to also have a ‘give’ attitude. What do you have to offer to others? By having this attitude of ‘giving’ to others, others will more likely want to help you in return. Give yourself some simple measures of what success will look like for you, by the end of the conference. Fourthly, have a seek-and-find strategy. Maybe identify three or four centre managers who you would really like to talk to, and reach out to them now, to organise a time for a coffee-and-chat, while you are both at conference. Be creative with your thinking: Maybe put a large sign on your back saying, “I want to talk about fundraising”. Actively ask around to see who knows about an issue, or who knows someone who knows something … Finally, make sure that you actually do it! Meeting new people is suddenly so much easier when you know what you want out of it. Leave conference with a bag full of ideas, insights, and valuable contacts! If you go to conference just to listen to a few speakers, look at a few displays, and have a nice dinner, then you have missed the whole point of the exercise. The ECC conference is far more valuable than you might think, and networking is the key to unlocking all of that lovely value! About the author Phil Sales is specialist business coach, interested in 'cool stuff' in the business development sector. For more about Phil, see https://iact15.wixsite.com/iactltd/who-we-are March 2022 { 19 }
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