An ancient idea maintains “if you follow the correct path in life you will move toward your true or enlightened self”. The idea of the eight-fold path seems particularly relevant to understanding how networking acts to affect those changes within us that will lead us toward our true self. Remember ‘Each of us comes to this community as a unique person with a unique point of view.’ Every person has something unique to offer. This is your strength. As a member of the Houston Coatings Society, we must look upon our fellow members with understanding. We must understand that at the center of life is a tolerance for all the ways in which we may seek the same goals.
Thomas Stanley provides descriptive terms for the paths on which professionals can bring their strengths to the community:
The Talent Scout
The Revenue Enhancer
The Advocate
The Mentor
The Publicist
The Family Advisor
The Loan Broker
The Purchasing Agent
We search for the best people, so we are Talent Scouts. NACE, and SSPC provide well informed, educated persons with a recognized certification program so that talent can be recognized. I frequently provide letters of reference for individuals who have been downsized. I have provided that connection between someone in the Advisory Council who is looking for talent with someone who is looking for a job.
We seek to build the prosperity of our communities, our industry, and our world, so that we become revenue enhancers. We recommend companies whom we know to do a good job to specifiers who are looking for qualified bid responses.
Just last month one of the Advisory Council contractors was working on a shipyard. Another contractor was working on another ship and having a difficult time meeting the specification. The Advisory Council contractor was willing to reveal his secrets and assist the other contractor in successfully fulfilling the specifications. But the contractor with the problem wouldn’t take any help. This other contractor is still part of the EXCLUSIONARY mind frame. The Advisory Council contractor was willing to enhance the revenue of someone else. He was willing to look towards the future and good will of the industry. He didn’t want the shipyard to have a bad experience with the water jet process. People remember bad experiences- they do not remember the good experiences and projects.
We are certainly mentors and community role models. NACE, SSPC, and WJTA provide periodicals, books, software. Our product literature is a wealth of information. Sara Kennedy and Jonelle Nixon is a mentor for inspection; Steve Poncio- utility plant maintenance. I pick up the phone and call Charlie Wyatt when I want to know about dehumidification.
No one would quarrel with our position as advocates of service to the community. NACE acts as an advocate of American Industry by participating in international agreements. SSPC acts as an advocate in responding to regulations. I think this might be particularly important when, as an individual, or an individual company, you may not be able to comment directly on proposed regulations. The Advisory Council is an advocate in understanding the changing role of surface preparation. As an advocate of changing technology, I remove the obstacle of a vendor or supplier with a perceived vested interest talking to a user. As an advocate, I influence the flow of information.
We publicize the good. SSPC, NACE, and the WJTA are always searching for current technologies and ideas. You describe and publicize good projects in your product literature.
We advise the uninformed. Each one of us in this room has given a presentation at some time at a local, regional, or national meeting. Houston Coatings Society promotes the free flow of information by organizing conferences and these monthly talks. At your annual exhibition, you provide qualified vendors the avenues to exhibit their materials . It gives you the opportunity to observe technology in action.
We are loan brokers, when we extend credit by our belief in people’s ability to help themselves with a little help from us.
Recently a contractor came to Texas to work on a multi-month project. They needed the establishment of a pass-through account for their payroll checks and their workers- something that they had established in many states and on many projects. They had introductory letters from their bank of record. But they were getting no where fast in conservative Texas. I went to my local bank, talked to the officers there, wrote a letter of introduction – most assuredly NOT a letter of guarantee- and in a few days, the pass through account was established. I believe in people’s ability to help themselves with a little help from us.
In Rotary, we act as purchasing agents to provide goods and services others could not obtain for themselves, not as an act of charity, so much as to enable others to share a common goal with ourselves. In Rotary this take the form of, for example, providing sewing machines and instructions for sewing, so a vocation can be learned. We help people become self sufficient.
In business, I frequently answer calls where someone is looking for a pump, or nozzle, or containment system, or filter unit. I connect them with someone who can supply the items. We act as loan brokers or purchasing agents for others when we agree to lease equipment, or help someone find a financial lender.
As members of Rotary, or the Houston Coatings Society, you are a select audience. We all joined a group with the idea of meeting other people with whom you could enjoy a useful, even profitable, relationship. I joined Rotary – a service organization- with a vague, notion of serving the community. Many of us volunteer our time and services. Monica Chauviere, Jerry Woodson, John Kelly, Ben Fultz, Charlie Wyatt, Sara Kennedy, Louis Sumbry, Steve Poncio- all volunteer our time and services to this organization with influence networking.
Continue reading in Networking Part 3.
