Networking Tip!  Aim Small, Miss Small.

Networking Tip!  Aim Small, Miss Small.

I was facilitating a course this week with a former US Marine.  He used the phrase “Aim Small, Miss Small” in the context of goal setting.  It really resonated with the delegates.  If you are very clear on your desired outcomes and are completely focussed on achieving them, even if you miss your target it is likely that it won’t be by much.  Other than for snipers, getting very close to your desired outcome is often good enough.

This lesson applies in networking arguably more than anywhere else in business.  When seeking introductions or leads it is vitally important to be very clear about what our targets look like.  This helps our network to identify targets that are close to what we are looking for.  Failure to be specific has one of two consequences; we either get no feedback because the network doesn’t really know what we are looking for and therefore cannot (or will not) make suggestions; we have to wade through a feedback channel with a very low signal to noise ratio (i.e. we get a lot of unhelpful or time wasting leads because the network can’t filter their ideas with any clarity).

As an example you might think that asking the Treble Victor network to help you find an “Operations role where I can use my leadership skills” would open up a deluge of vacancies that you could apply for.  In reality it won’t.  It’ll probably be met with very few suggestions.  Your request is too broad to give the network confidence that what you offer is what their network is looking for.  What would likely open up a few, high-probability leads is saying something like:

“I am looking for an operations leadership role in a company or department where I would be responsible for up to six technical experts and probably be the leader of maybe 20-25 people overall.  I’d like for it to be in the XYZ area and probably will be in Telecoms or some other engineering discipline.  I love to work in an entrepreneurial way and so am seeking a leader who is comfortable delegating and coaching rather than managing my specific activity.  I’d rather be creating new processes than following too many old ones so an emerging technology or fast-growing industry would suit me best.”  

That clarity will allow the network to bring to you jobs that are just like that, but maybe not in your current area, just like that but not in engineering, just like that but the manager is a notorious micro-manager, or just like that but in a mature industry.  You’d be able to judge your willingness to compromise on your specifics when you see the opportunity as a whole.  When it comes to getting a job, getting close to ideal is very definitely good enough.

In summary, being overly vague in what you are looking for in terms of a next role or ideal client is like firing a shotgun at a long-distance target, ineffective and a waste of energy so aim small, so we can help you to miss small.