What seems like 100 years ago, FIG wrote a white paper: Book of Business: What Is It and How Do I Build One? It was an article outlining strategic networking, marketing efforts, name recognition, expertise and referrals. In short: business relationships. We thought we’d take a deeper dive into this proposition and discuss the maturation cycle of professional alliances: what are some of the actual mechanics of maintaining, nurturing and sustaining these relationships and how exactly do we execute our desired goals without being transactional or mercenary?
The Core of FIG: Relationships
As we alluded to last week, the word “relationships” is another amorphous piece of language we throw around a lot, in both business and in our personal lives. But what exactly are they?
For the purposes of this piece, Dictionary.com defines the word as: “a connection, association, or involvement; an emotional or other connection between people.”
OK, a good start, but how do we initiate, develop, nurture and sustain them is what interests FIG. Why do they matter? Why are they important? What do they mean? And why should we care?
Millennials: 5 Steps to Make Now to Advance Your Career Faster
Today’s professional world is rife with opportunities for entrepreneurs and self-starters to create the life they want if they work hard and leverage their connections. Between the gig economy and the large force of young professionals in the traditional workplace (a combination of Gen X, Gen Y [Millennials], and Gen Z), the way people perceive and achieve professional advancement is changing. However, with the millions of young people entering the workforce today, competition is fierce. Here are 5 steps young professionals can take to differentiate themselves from the competition and move toward quicker advancement, whether climbing a more traditional corporate ladder or pursuing the creation of their own business.
FIG Role Model: Sherry Turkle
The “Margaret Mead of digital culture,” Professor Sherry Turkle is an incredibly accomplished person. She is the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT, and the founding director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self. Because she has been studying people’s interaction with technology since the birth of the earliest personal computers, she is an incredible source of knowledge on the ways we use technology as a social tool and how it affects us as a part of our psychological lives.
Spring Cleaning: 5 Negative Social Habits to Throw Out Now
We all have our bad habits. We’re human, after all! However, another great part about being human is the fact that we can decide to work on our bad habits and grow out of them. One of the areas in which people have the most bad habits is in social interaction. Here are five of them you can start working on today.
5 Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety
Do you become overwhelmed or anxious in social situations? You’re not alone. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, 12.1% of U.S. adults experience some kind of social anxiety at some point in their life. Of those who are affected, an estimated 29.9% had serious impairment, 38.8% had moderate impairment, and 31.3% had mild impairment.
FIG Book Club: February Recommended Reading
Welcome to Future Image Group’s Book Club! Every month, we’ll recommend a book, abstract, or research paper related to personal and professional development in the workplace (which, in turn, is also related to the development of social skills and more meaningful personal relationships). We hope you enjoy – and we’d love to hear your recommendations for books that have helped you or given you some insight on your own journey of professional or personal social development.
FIG Role Model Spotlight – Simon Sinek
Chances are good that you’ve heard of Simon Sinek. Sinek is an accomplished author, trained ethnographer, sought-after motivational speaker, and visionary thinker. He’s done TED Talks, has an astronomically popular YouTube channel, and has written multiple bestselling books including Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last. Sinek is also one of the accepted leaders on inter-generational relations, especially working with Millennials and young professionals.