contact

Bob Priddy

rfp@thirdevo.com

.

720-339-3585

Networking is not as difficult as you believe and can actually be fun.

Most clients I speak with have a jaundiced view of networking. They nearly always think of the boorishly aggressive glad-hander at the last medical conference they attended – the person they just knew was simply there to try to sell them something.

The bottom line is that’s not networking. That’s simply being a bore.

Networking is both offering and asking for help and information, making new friends and expanding your range of personal and business contacts. Most of us enjoy associating with friends and even strangers with whom we share common interests, goals or objectives. That is networking.

Have you ever been called or approached by someone who said, “Are you Doctor _______? I’ve heard a great deal about you and I’ve been hoping we could meet.” As long as the next sentence didn’t begin with, “I’m a broker for…,” you were probably both flattered and interested to hear more of what this person had to say. And, if they actually did want to meet you for a legitimate reason and proved to be an interesting person, you just expanded your network and did so happily.

But networking isn’t just about meeting new people; it’s about fostering positive and productive relationships with people you already know. On a daily basis, with colleagues, patients, and others involved in your life, you network. You ask how they are doing, you express your interest in them and you offer yourself as a resource. You may simultaneously be asking for their advice in some area, whether a consult from a colleague or compliance to the plan you’ve prescribed for a patient. You may not think of it in these terms, but it is networking, networking in a somewhat passive way as a byproduct of doing your job effectively and well. Networking is transactional – giving and receiving.

When you begin searching for a new professional position, clinical or non-clinical, you need to network both passively, as you do currently, and actively, as you aren’t accustomed to doing.

Active networking, however, is based on the same principles and processes of the passive networking you do daily. You engage someone for a legitimate reason and you both give and receive something of value.

 

Consider this scenario: You’ve decided it’s time for a career transition and you’re thinking about pursuing an opportunity with a medical device vendor in a medical/scientific liaison position. You’re attending a medical meeting with the hope of meeting some device vendors. You walk into the evening reception, you get a glass of wine and you’re standing there – alone.

Your options are:

1. Continue to stand there alone and be uncomfortable for a few minutes before leaving.

2. Continue to stand there alone for the entire reception because you’re there to meet someone, right?

3. Look for an opportunity to engage someone so you’re no longer alone.

Ok, “c” is the obvious “right” response, but how do you meet someone. Again, you have choices – and let’s assume you don’t know anyone else there. To assess your choices you scan the room. This is what you’ll see:

1. Numerous people getting drinks, moving through buffet lines and generally milling about.

2. Several groups actively engaged in conversations.

3. At the very least, you’ll spot one other person standing by himself or herself trying very hard to not look as uncomfortable as you do.

Again, let’s opt for “c” as our correct response. First, I want to tell you why, and second, I will offer a way of engaging that person that allows you to both give and receive something of value.

First, why not the “a” or “b” guests. The “a’s” are doing something, and although they may look aimless in their actions, they may not be. What if you saunter up to an “a” and say, “Hello, I’m Doctor _______. Quite a party here, don’t you think?” and the “a’s” response is, “Yes, excuse me doctor, what did you say your name was… I have a couple of people waiting for me over there, please excuse me.” Well, your bubble’s burst, and most likely you’re out the door in 30 seconds.

The “b” types are actively involved in a discussion and possibly some networking. You walk up to the group, introduce yourself, and then stand there – perhaps even more uncomfortably than when you were alone… enough said. Sure, they could all turn and say how glad they are to meet you and explain the direction of their conversation, inviting your input, but that’s a one in 10 shot at best. Too much risk.

With the “c” target you can approach them with a smile and simply ask, are you here alone? If “yes,” then begin with the “who I am” component of your stump speech (I’ll explain your stump speech as part of the Materials You Need section at the end. If they reply, “No, I’m waiting on my friend (an associate, etc…)” then offer the “who I am” component of your stump speech followed by, tell me a little about you… and then who is the friend/associate, etc… you’re waiting for?

Once these pleasantries have been exchanged, you may ask them their stump speech components and/or provide yours. Order isn’t that important here, just so it gets said. Now the ice is fully broken and you can expand your networking.

If this person is alone, and you want to continue to expand your network, select another person standing alone and suggest the two of you go introduce yourselves. This can continue until your networking group is a large as you wish it to be. If they’re with someone else and that party arrives, you may remain with them, or the three of you now expand your mutual networks.

However, most of your networking will be one-to-one focused on your daily activities. Some people you will engage as strangers, while others will be the friends of your friends. Since those friends of friends are the most accessible, let’s focus on them.

Networking is like any activity in that getting started is the hardest part. Just like the patient you tell to loose 10 pounds, when they don’t eat their next potato chip, they’re not going to see a result, so starting is tough. It’s the same with networking with friends and associates. The first conversation may simply end as it began or your friend may offer to introduce you to someone else who may be interested in what you have to say.

Regardless, it’s a beginning and here is how to begin. Call a friend and ask to have coffee together. When you meet, thank them for taking time to talk with you and then launch into your stump speech – again, see below. What you have to say may be a surprise to them. You’re telling them you’re interested in career activities outside medicine. Depending on your situation, you may speak of expanding your career, seeking some rewarding activities to augment your medical practice, or you may say you’re intending to leave clinical practice. That’s up to you, but weigh your position in terms of making a public broadcast. That is, if everyone you know became aware of your statement, would it be a positive or a negative?

I always say that once a physician announces an interest in leaving practice, you might as well leave – referrals dry up, some colleagues will shun you and others will seek you out to find how what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. Regardless, practice, as you know it will likely be over.

Be prepared to explain your non-clinical interest in terms your friend can understand. You may say that you’re interested in helping more people than you can in an exam room one at a time, or you may explain your interest in pursing a lifelong passion. The point is, be ready to explain. Non-physicians often have a very difficult time understanding why any physician would want or be willing to give up everything they’ve earned: phone calls at 2:00 a.m., third parties who should have no involvement in your business telling you how to treat your patients, frightening risks, increasing costs… yes all that.

Also, be prepared to talk about why you would be good at your new career interest. You need to be able to cite specific examples, accomplishments you have that have a direct connection. You’re building a case for your friend to become both an advocate for you and a referral source to others who may be able to help you.

Earlier, I described networking as giving and getting something of value. So far this has been all about you, so be sure to offer some value somewhere in your discussion. The closer to the beginning of the discuss often the greater the value. Your value offering may be as simple as asking about your friend’s cholesterol, how their children are doing in school or some other personal comment or question. However, it will ring truer at the beginning of your meeting than it will after you’ve asked for their help.

Now, back to you... You want something of value, you want a referral to other people your friend may know who may help you.

You may do it indirectly by asking, “if you know anyone (in your chosen new field), I’d appreciated an introduction.”  You may also know that your friend has a specific contact you want to me. This is the place to ask, “I know you play golf with a BioBob VP.” She’s someone I’d really like to meet. Would you be comfortable introducing us?”

After you take this step with a friend or several friends, you need to show them you’re serious about your new endeavor and that you’ve used their advice. Keep them in the loop. Give them a monthly update thanking them for the initial introduction or referral and let them know where it has led. You do this as a courtesy, but also because as you work your way through layers of contacts, you’ll likely encounter other people they know or find you need to meet other people they know. Either way, keeping your contacts informed of your progress is vital to keeping them as contacts and involving them fully in your efforts.

Other things you need include a resume, not your CV and what you’ll say after your stump speech. That is, you need to know how to answer their questions, carry the conversation, define clearly your desired new career path or job and ask for their help. But this article is about networking basics. The rest is in the book.

Materials You Need:

1. Stump Speech: Defined, a stump speech is a 30 second introduction of yourself that tells someone:

   1. Who you are

   2. What you’ve done

   3. What you want to do

   4. How they can help you

I often use a simple table to help me categorize those components, because as you saw in the example scenario, you sometimes use your stump speech in parts.

Some people refer to a stump speech as an elevator speech because you should be able to say it to someone as an elevator travels between floors.

2. Business Cards: You need a business card that says who you are, what you’ve done and what you want to do… Does that seem like a pretty big card? Consider this example:

What does Dr. Doe’s card tell you?
Who he is: Dr. Doe

What he’s done: hospitalist medicine

What he wants to do: Healthcare Consulting in Medical Products, Pharma and IT.

What you can do for him: Contact him…

Now, when Dr. Doe meets a new contact and offers his stump speech he leaves his business card as not only a reminder of how to contact him, but as a mini-summary of his stump speech. And, yes, I do like colored business cards. In that sea of white, they’ll stand out. I like rounded corners too.

The Networking Pyramid:

The value of every friend and contact is how many of his or her friends and contacts they can introduce you to. It works this way… my objective is to have each person I network with introduce me to just three other people. Here is what happens.

I have one contact – and many of my clients tell me that’s exactly how many contacts they have.

Your one contact introduces you to three other friends/associates. Those three introduce you to thee each, nine more leading to 27 who lead you to 81… The next level is 243, but I’m out of room on this chart.

The Five Levels of Introductions:

• Level I: Your contact sets up a meeting for you, their contact and themselves. Your contact tells the new contact how great you are and manages the introduction.

• Level II: Your contact calls/emails his/her contact and asks if he/she will meet with you. You contact sets the schedule and tell both of you where to meet – noting to the new contact what a great person you are.

• Level III: Your contact calls his/her contact and asks if he/she will meet with you – telling them you will call tomorrow to schedule the meeting. Also, telling them how great you are. You call tomorrow, telling them how great your mutual friend is, and schedule the meeting.

• Level IV: Your contact tells you to call Mr. /Ms X and tell them he/she said to call – the two of you should meet. You call tomorrow, telling them how great your mutual friend is, and that he/she said you should meet - schedule the meeting.

• Level V: You should really meet – but don’t mention me, it won’t help…

How many time have you heard, “You should meet ….” Well, you probably should, but how. Looking at the networking pyramid above, your objective is to get as many Level I introductions as possible. Why… it’s easier for you to sit there and have your friend extol your virtues than to extol them yourself – my motto, ‘tis easier to be extolled then to extol!

If you have questions or comments about this article call or email Robert F. Priddy, President, third_Evolution at 720-339-3585 or rfp@thirdevo.com.

Privacy Policy

Send mail to rfpriddy@msn.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Copyright © 2008 third_Evolution, LLC

third_Evolution is the registered trademark of third_Evolution Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians and is owned by RFP Physician Career Services, LLC.

Last modified: 02/27/12