Networking and the BYU Management Society
Posted on April 25, 2008
Filed Under Live the Vision, Meet Purposefully, Vison of the Society
Tags: Brigham Young University, BYU management Society, networking, purposes, vision
In recent public and private conversations I’ve had with members of the BYU Management Society, I have detected some divergence in opinions about what our primary purpose(s) should be. In the interest of oversimplifying, I would suggest that there are two general camps or schools of thought as to what our primary purpose is or should be:
- General Networking. This group’s primary purpose is to get together with other business people who share our values, learn from good speakers on current business topics, meet new people, generally socialize in a business setting that is not filled with alcohol, smoking, coffee, off-color jokes, foul language, etc.
- Specific Networking. This group’s primary purpose is to network to grow their business in both the short term and long term. If they are not finding new customers or people who can refer them to customers, coming to a monthly breakfast meeting is not worth the time and fee for the breakfast.
I think each chapter should have a very good discussion (and I would like to have an open dialogue here) on the following questions:
- Which of the two above purposes is our primary one?
- Can we hold out both purposes as equally important and remain a viable organization?
- Can we put one of the two purposes above as the primary one, but keep both purposes as priorities, and remain a viable organization?
- Should we give up one of the above purposes and focus exclusively on the other?
Please leave your comments on this blog so that we can keep all of our thoughts in one place. (To see this same post with comments from other chapters, go to the Orange County Management Society blog and the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society blog.)
Bill Chapman
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Re: Specific Networking. This group’s primary purpose is to network to grow their business in both the short term and long term. If they are not finding new customers or people who can refer them to customers, coming to a monthly breakfast meeting is not worth the time and fee for the breakfast.
People who want to find customers through the management should love a monthly breakfast meeting. More chances to meet people in informal settings. What more could they ask for?
I don’t believe that the two purposes noted need to be mutually exclusive–we can and must hold to both purposes. The overarching goal–for me–is to network generally and hopefully receive some good messages. I would not want to attend meetings that focused solely on selling (growing your business). That said, I absoluetly would like for the general networking to allow for more specific networking–opportunities to learn more about what other members do and to build some relationships that may be leveraged to mutual benefit. Most of us who are willing to commit time to the organization want (expect) something from it. If we don’t foster the specific networking, I think we’ll lose the bulk of the people unless our speakers/topics each month are phenomenal… a pretty tall order. The key IMHO is to strike the proper balance…
General networking is what leads to specific networking. Expecting specific to happen without the general proceeding it is putting the cart before the horse. Calm down, meet people, make friends and the business will follow.