Most of us have had the experience of working in a job, position or situation that we don’t like- maybe even hate- and stay in because we just have to. Whether for our own financial needs, supporting a family, or perceived external obligation or pressure, we keep at it simply because we must. In many of these cases, though not all, the misery seems at least somewhat tempered by some goal, some possible future outcome that we are looking or waiting or hoping or striving for: getting our entrepreneurial endeavor underway and successful, getting some promotion or raise, going back to school, marrying rich, retiring, etc. It seems that in these current times of seemingly constant economic (and cultural) turmoil, even more of us are experiencing this than ever before.

Recently I spoke with a young professional who is in just this type of situation. He’s suffering through his current work while looking to create a new business and direction, and besides just not being personally satisfied, his performance is (predictably) suffering as well.  The question presenting itself seems to be, how do I deal effectively with my current circumstances while building toward the future I’m committed to?

What’s in Your Networking Toolbox?

My previous articles on networking described the networking mindset.  This month I will discuss the tools you will need in order to be fully prepared for your networking experiences and maximize the value of each networking event for you.

Anticipate what will be needed.  You will remember that your goal is to find a good networking partner that you can help and who can help you.  Prepare by making it easy for people to help you.  Here are the ways you can do that:

When engaging with a new or prospective client, one of the first things I ask for is a verbal assessment of what’s stopping his/her business from performing at the level to which he/she is committed. What’s in the way? Or to phrase it in its most casual and common form, “What’s the problem?” At some point in the conversation that follows, we come across some longstanding, persistent complaints.

When that person is in a leadership or management position, it is extremely common for one of the complaints to be about the lack of performance of those that they manage or lead (the same tendency shows up with the front-liners, but in reverse: they complain about lack of effective management or leadership). What frequently follows is how they know that what there is to do is to find the “right people”, and once that finally happens, their business will work as it’s supposed to.

In fact, I’ve recently been working with an upper-level manager of a medium-sized contracting services company who had just this issue. As it turns out however, getting the “right people” wasn’t the issue at all.

When I started writing this article it was going to be about an interesting business project I am working on: the New Perspective Business Group School. I ended up writing about how I came to work on this project and what it means for my self-development. This article is not really about me, though it would seem to be, but rather about an ongoing process of self-discovery I am involved in for the simple purpose of finding the important, fun, productive and sustainable business and lifestyle that can give my life a purpose for the long haul. The purpose is personal. The process for getting "there," where you start to fulfill your purpose, seems universal.

The search initially started with my technology background, adding management and business administration experience on the way, to become a business owner. About mid-way through running my now 12-year old technology consulting business, I understood that I wasn't a businessman in the full sense of the word. I realized that while I was identifying opportunities and fixing problems in my client’s businesses, I was overlooking my own main business issue. For those familiar with Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited, I had a “technician” problem.