Networking Your Net Worth

Am I the only one that questions whether or not people are listening to me when I talk? Why does it seem like people are not focusing? Maybe because I am right, people are not listening and they wish that I would shut up. Or maybe I am too “needy” and I crave attention that the outside world can’t give. Since effective communication involves the transmission of information between a sender and a receiver, why is it necessary for that person to look at you when you are speaking to them? Good information professionals know that eye contact is a must when dealing with clients or anyone else in the general public for that matter. I can actually say at times, though, I am guilty of the thing I dislike the most, not paying attention.

Important information can be missed when individuals do not fully focus on the task or person at hand. We are all too busy running around like mice and we don’t want to slow down. What about that time when we could not “wait to leave” a social function, which could have potentially been a great networking opportunity, but we “had to go”. Another scenario occurs when we brush off that phone call or visit we should have made to a loved one. Even closer to home is the act of assuming that no one is paying attention because “they are not looking”. Sometimes we have to break out of our comfort zone and offer assistance, with a smile.

Individuals are very complex and unique, therefore there are myriads of ways to get a message across. Nonetheless, there are tons of ways that individuals receive those messages. Instead of worrying about whether or not you are getting your message across, try to focus on giving a good message instead. Effective communicators use more than one channel to convey a message. In order to do that, one has to find his/her voice, but yet translate that voice to an audience without being “too” offensive. Concentrating on the message you send to others doesn’t necessarily mean that you are effectively communicating with “them”, but, at least, you tried.

 

To Be or Not To Be, Academic? Should That Really Be A Question?

We are told everyday to go to school and get an education, in order to get a better job, in order to matriculate through this challenging society….blah, blah, blah! We are spending years going to school, majoring in a particular field, only to get the job working right beside someone whose plight was just a little shorter. Or we spend all of our time educating ourselves, only to find the job that pays less than “Suzie’s and she has no degree.” So why seek additional education to be a part of this madness? Why should individuals go to community colleges, universities, or other institutes of higher learning altogether? How do we decide when and where to scratch the Academic surface? 

Why should anyone want to seek higher learning? Well, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages. The advantage of extending one’s education lies in getting to know who and what else is out there. There is so much information surfacing everyday, therefore it is necessary for one to assume the responsibility of knowing what “it” is. Equally important is finding out who’s producing the new information, because there is so much out there to learn. A disadvantage persists when one feels that he is not where he ultimately wants to be in life, thus the need to seek a new perspective.

Whether it is a community college, university, trade school or workshop, it can provide another dimension of learning that can truly be beneficial. It is important to seek a point-of-view other than your own; even it involves reading a book or an article. The key is growth and upward mental mobility should be the goal. Location, income, time or lack of it are all factors to consider when deciding upon an educational endeavor. So, if you are questioning whether or not to go “back to school”, you must be “alive”. Most importantly though, is to find the avenue that will fit best with your income and time schedule.  Remember just as no question is a dumb question, you are never too old to learn. Beauty really is skin deep and ignorance definitely lies in the eyes of the beholder.