Nothing is more important than TIME. We must know that when asking for someone else’s time, it’s the most important commodity they have. In treating it as such, ask them for a SPECIFIC amount of time.
BREAKING NEWS: Busy people need to know what they are committing to.
Just like a phone plan, a movie, a diet, people want to WHAT they are signing up for and HOW LONG it’s going to last. Yes, if you’re networking with someone and want more time with them, let them know what they’re getting in to. No one wants to sign up for something that they don’t know when the end is. No one wants to sign up for a phone contract that is indefinite. Even when we get a new iPhone, we know it’s a two year plan to have it paid off or we can have the ability to trade it in. We’re signing up knowing exactly what we’re in for.
I one signed up for a gym membership in my early 20’s that I thought nothing about. It was a low cost gym, $12 or so bucks a month. Not a big deal, not a money drain, but still a commitment. I didn’t really think about what all it entailed when I signed up. I didn’t think about the length of the contract. I worked out for a few months when I lived in that city, but the job I was working came to an end and it was time for me to move back home to another state. I didn’t think much of the gym contract, and even when I did, I thought, well it must expire soon so I’ll just let it roll. It’s only $12 a month, it won’t make or break my financial status.
The end of the year came, and in January, I got charged for another month. I thought, “Wow, this is just the gift that keeps on giving. I wonder if they’re ever going to stop charging me.” I decided to call the gym and find out the length of the contract. They told me, “It’s indefinite.” I said, “Can you explain that please?” They continued, “…There is no way to end your contract. Once you sign up, you cannot opt out.”
“EXCUSE ME? I cannot MAKE you stop charging me?! I moved states!”
The gym said, “For you to not be charged anymore, you have to bring in an electric bill, home purchase agreement, or something else that states you no longer live within driving distance of this gym.”
Before you say it, yes, this is insanity. I had never heard of this before. Needless to say, it was the worst commitment ending I ever could have imagined. It was kept on the hook much longer than I ever expected to be.
Busy leaders and great networkers are in the same boat. They don’t want to be kept longer than they had planned on. Whether it’s 5 minutes or 5 years, they want to know how long they are needed. If you want to connect and network well with someone, they need to know from you how long that they are needed.
When a networking opportunity presents itself, decide how long you desire it to be. Is it a 30 minute coffee? It is a 1 hour lunch? Is it a 90 minute dinner? Networking well can be done in any of those situations. But, you must decide what it is and how long it will take. Busy leaders and great networkers want to know what they’re walking in to.
A great way to introduce this concept is asking the simple question with the details included. “Can I have 8 minutes of your time to ask you about this topic?” Or, “Can we get a 45 minute lunch so I can get your opinion on this opportunity?” With that question, the person you are talking to knows exactly what they are getting involved in. They know the length of time desired and the topic at hand. They can then prepare knowing what the time their presence is needed as well as what they’ll be covering in conversation. If they extend the time, it’s up to them. Some leaders and networkers understand the value of the moment and may extend the time to cover more information. That’s ok, just let them make that decision. If you ask for 30 minutes and take an hour, you can all but guarantee that your requests in the future will get turned down. But, if you stay within the agreed upon time, you can all but guarantee that you’ll always get what you ask for. A wise man once said, “Never over stay your welcome.” Overstaying our welcome is the fastest way to not be a great networker. Respecting other’s time is the sign of an incredibly great networker!
Let’s focus on what we need, networker well, and respect other’s time.
David Urzi 