Edification; The Super Glue of Power Networkers

In "The Serving Leader" authors Ken Jennings and John Stahl-Wert provide 2 key leadership responsibilities. Leaders teach others the knowledge, skills and strategies they need to succeed. Leaders also work hard to get obstacles out of the way of others so they can make progress.

Edification is a powerful technique for helping others develop confidence skills, while removing obstacles created by lack of confidence. Very few organizations promote the encouraging art of edification. Power networkers understand how to leverage edification for developing powerful trusted relationships.

Webster defines edification as “the act of edifying, or the state of being edified; a building up, especially in a moral or spiritual sense; moral, intellectual, or spiritual improvement; instruction”.

Edification can be learned by anyone in just a few minutes. It does take practice intertwining edification into daily life. It immediately builds confidence for the person being edified and the person [leader] doing the edification. 

In networking terms, edifying another person shines a 10,000 watt spotlight on him/her, which reflects doubly back on you. People will naturally want to be around you when you edify others.

Edifying others is the glue for making people stick with you and be associated with anything you are involved in. Edification empowers you to create your own following. When you tell your network "I'm going to be at this event, fund raiser, conference, etc.", people willingly make it their business to be there.

Here are some suggested approaches successful networking leaders use to instill confidence and develop rock solid trusted networks, through edification:

RING LEADER
So you put an event together. Always introduce the speaker so a connection is made with the audience. While presenting the speaker's bio, speak from the heart about your association. Even a known returning speaker should be edified, through the introduction. This sets the stage for engaging attendees to listen more closely to the speaker.

DAISEY CHAIN
This is one of my favorite edification approaches. It creates a chain reaction of networking self empowerment. If a few people have put an event together, ask someone on the team to introduce another team member who knows either the speaker or most of the attendees. Then have that person introduce the speaker. This allows 2 team members to edify each other, just in case the speaker knows nothing about edification. This makes a powerful impression on attendees. Making introductions is an excellent way to practice public speaking skills, especially for new team members.

TAG TEAM
1. You are going to an event with a friend. Give each friend a few of your business cards. As you meet people edify the other person by talking up each other's skills or business. Then give your friend's business card to the person you just met.

2. Let's say 2 people are talking at an event. You know one of them and s/he introduces you. Edify your friend by highlighting their skills, business or good qualities.

FAMILY TIES
Nothing improves family relationships better than edification.

1. Edify your children with your friends. This builds better relationships between child and parent, while instilling confidence in children, tweens and teenagers. Some examples . . .This is my daughter / son . . . s/he is a wiz at math - on the football team - is studying hard for the SAT - is a terrific person . . .
2. Edify your spouse. Elevate your spouse with augmented introductions. Some examples . . . This is my wife and business partner - This is my husband who is a top notch expert in the technology field - This is my life partner who is very successful in the health care industry . . .
Always edify your spouse in front of your children, by supporting each other's decisions. Settle child rearing issues with your spouse in private.

3. Saying "thank you", "please" and "can you do me a favor" are also forms of edifying family members. It develops respect and trust, while getting family members to more willingly accomplish tasks.

PRIVATE SESSIONS
Use one on one personal conversations to encourage and support a friend, by focusing on their strengths.

Although it may be hard, even highlighting good qualities with a difficult co-worker may help project them to the space where they need to be. Building confidence, through edification, is sometimes all it takes to get a foe on your side of the table.

POWER BROKER EMAIL CONNECTIONS
Providing an associate with just an email address or telephone number referral is for amateur networkers. This still provides a cold connection. Position yourself as a power broker by personally connecting 2 people. A much warmer connection is established, when you copy both people in an email.

Edify each person to give reasons as to why they should connect. In the email talk up your personal association with each person. For example, "Joanne is a trusted friend and business associate . . . we worked previously at . . . s/he possesses business savvy / sold technical skills that helped me / company XYZ achieve . . .".

Copyright (c) 2004 - 2009 Carl E. Reid, SAVVY INTRAPRENEUR