GET OFF THE BENCH
UNLEASHING THE POWER OF STRATEGIC NETWORKING
THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to thank the following people for their support, guidance, and
valuable feedback during this process: Susan Fuchs, Dr. Lois Frankel, Steve Mann,
PaShon Mann, Tom Finn, Scott Eblin, JD Kathuria, Brian Kumnick, and Bill Weber.
Their time and effort spent on helping me work through this book is very much
appreciated and can never be repaid.
Where would we be without mentors? I’ve been fortunate in my life to have
some of the best – Dr. Robert Courter, Dennis Adams, Walker Royce, General Rich
O’Lear, Dr. John Lehman, General Peter Schoomaker, Admiral Ann Rondeau,
General Michael Dunn, Renny DiPentima, Peter Marino, Jim Frey, Evans Hineman
and many others.
The following are actual texts and emails sent to the author, Sid Fuchs, that
demonstrate the power of the network:
ONE:
Sid, thanks for reminding me about the Tower Club networking event on
Monday. I got an interview with XYZ bank out of it...
TWO:
Friends:
If you are receiving this, you are one of the many, many good friends and
colleagues that have met with, advised, introduced, encouraged, challenged, and
otherwise helped me over the last 4 months as I have charted the course for my
next professional role. I cannot say enough about that process—I got to
reconnect with a lot of great folks and meet some fantastic new friends along the
way, and I learned far more than I ever imagined I could have.
Perhaps the greatest lesson that was affirmed for me during this time is that
the contacts and relationships we have are best used when freely shared,
regardless of a calculated benefit any of us might be able to project beforehand.
Many of you did that for me along the way, and the meetings and introductions
that came about as a result were invaluable. The truth is you simply do not know
what great things you might be putting into motion when you introduce two
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people in the marketplace.
Now here’s the update—I am happy to report that I have accepted an offer
to serve as President & COO of XYZ Associates, a portfolio company of The
ABC Group, and will be starting at the end of this month. XYZ is a government
services firm operating in the national security arena, mainly with State
Department and Homeland Security. Life in the days ahead will be about
maturing and integrating several business segments that currently make up
roughly $XXXM in revenues, with significant opportunity to grow that
organically and through acquisition. I am quite confident that we both took the
requisite time to get to know each other over the last several months, so this is a
great fit that I am extremely excited about.
I look forward to staying in touch with all of you. I think it goes without
saying—given the message above—that if there is ANYTHING I might do for
you, to include making an introduction to a friend or colleague on your behalf, I
would be honored to help in any way I can.
THREE:
AS A FOLLOW ON TO THE PREVIOUS EMAIL ABOVE:
Thank you, Sid. Just so you know—you can take great credit for me finding
this particular role. After you and I spoke, your conversation with the guys at the
BBB Group led them to speak to Joe Smith at ABC, who had just bought
XYZ...and there you have it.
I really appreciate your willingness to do that for me—and I’m happy to
repay the favor in kind. I owe you one—at least—down the line. Would be my
pleasure to help you out in any way I can sometime soon.
FOUR:
AND A FINAL EMAIL FROM THE SAME PERSON WHEN I ASKED HIM FOR
DETAILS ON HOW THE NETWORK HELPED HIM DURING HIS JOB
SEARCH:
When we knew that a transaction was imminent and I decided that I was
going to go another route—I called or emailed 7 people to get some thoughts and
perspective on what to do next. That’s it. Those 7 turned into 247 face-to-face
meetings over the next 6 months... mostly with people that I did not know or know
well enough to meet with when I started the process. Just for grins, I charted it
all out and it’s amazing to look at. I not only used the network, I NEEDED it...
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
The Value of Relationships
CHAPTER 2
Networks and Networking: Why Should We Care?
CHAPTER 3
Preparing to Build Your Network
CHAPTER 4
Seeking Out a Target-Rich Environment
CHAPTER 5
Building Your Network
CHAPTER 6
Leveraging Your Network
CHAPTER 7
The Art of Network Operations
CHAPTER 8
The Network Is for Everyone
CHAPTER 9
Social Media Networks
EPILOGUE
APPENDIX A
