A while back I read the book THE FROG AND PRINCE: Secrets of Positive Networking. It made a couple of good points but the most important was to approach people with the attitude: What can I do for you? With that attitude you’ll get the best response from people and you’ll open up a channel for real dialog with your new acquittance.
I was reminded of this again today while watching a video of a recent talk; Funding Your Dream. This talk was about raising venture capital. I found many of the speakers insightful, but I think Ian Sobieski from the Band of Angels really made some good points that related to positive networking. Ian suggests that you should not be consumed with maximizing the return from your venture, rather you should make sure that everyone involved is getting what they need. You’ll have an easier time getting people on your side if you approach them with an extension of good will. You will also be more likely to get them talking about how you could help them. Which is great way to sell your idea, or sell anything for that matter.
One key ingredient to this attitude is flexibility. If you’ve got a set outcome in your mind every time you approach someone, for funding or anything else, it’s going to be hard to convince them that you want to help them. When you approach someone with the attitude ‘what can I do for you?’ you need to have the flexibility to change your plans so that you can back up your offer.