Are You Rolodextrous?

A Management Column

By Barb Springer Beck

Summer 2003

It’s no surprise that the ability to be successful in your career depends on your personal portfolio.  By portfolio, I mean your assets, such as your skills, abilities, education, and experience.  I’d like to suggest that in addition to these assets, your network or contacts are also an important part of your personal portfolio and can contribute directly to your ability to get things done and ultimately succeed.  Let’s explore different kinds of contacts and how they can contribute to your “professional net worth.” 

Everyone meets new people constantly; at meetings, training sessions, professional associations, recreation events, volunteer work, and in a variety of other situations.  When we meet others, it’s often because we have something in common with them.  It might be that we work for the same employer, see the same doctor, have children attending school together, or belong to the same nonprofit organization.  Whether we consciously include these people in our network or not, they can be a valuable resource for sharing information, identifying opportunities, solving problems,  offering support . . . and having fun.  This isn’t and shouldn’t be about taking advantage of others—you both stand to gain. 

The biggest benefit to staying in contact with a variety of people is access to information.  We often hear about events or decisions and wonder how and why they came about.  Whether you’re an employee or a contractor, success can depend on understanding the reasons behind certain decisions.  Here’s one example.  Fiscal year 2002 was a challenging period of drought and wildland fires, and the Forest Service exceeded its fire suppression budget.  In prior years, Congress had provided additional monies to cover the expenditure of funds for fire suppression when allocations were exceeded.  In fiscal year 2002, however, no additional monies were provided and the agency was directed to fund its shortfall from other accounts.  By talking with agency contacts gained through work on past fire projects, Carla, a contractor, had access to insights about this situation.  Based upon those insights Carla was able to understand her Forest Service clients’ position and better prepare for what may lie ahead.  In this example, having a network of contacts served the function of extending her experience and knowledge. 

In the following example, information about the availability of year-end monies presented an opportunity.  Mark, a budget and finance officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, became aware that with two months to go in the fiscal year, not all of the facilities management budget had been spent.  When Jane, one of the refuge managers in the Region, called Mark to check on the budget situation, he gave her an indication there would be year-end monies she could request for much needed repairs to her visitor center.  Because Jane made the effort to communicate regularly with Mark, she became aware of this opportunity and was able to fund the needed repairs. 

Contacts are one of the primary assets of successful businesses.  In addition to information sharing, contacts lead to introductions and referrals.  Introductions can lead to special assignments or even job offers.  From job selection panels to task forces to special event planning committees, the individuals who get asked to participate in these special opportunities are often personally known to the responsible manager or someone in that manager’s close circle of contacts.   As a manager, when you decide to establish a task force to tackle a specific problem, you are more likely to name someone fresh in your mind—someone who had recently taken the initiative to contact you.  That person will benefit from an opportunity outside of their day-to-day duties and you’ll have an eager participant and problem-solver for your task force.   

So, how does all this networking happen?  Maintaining a viable network does require some tending.  What I mean by tending is simply that you keep in touch in a meaningful way.  To effectively keep in touch, you’ll need to take the initiative to communicate with others.  Given how pressed for time we all are, your communications need to be relevant and appropriate.  Don’t be a pest!  You can simply pick up the phone and call someone, or send them an email.  Do take care to ensure that your gesture adds value for the recipient and isn’t a time-waster.  Knowing their communication preferences will help you do this.  For example, some people very clearly prefer a phone call or voice message to an email while others prefer emails because they are then free to read them and respond in a way that works with their schedule.   

Another easy way to stay in touch with others that seems to be genuinely appreciated is to share relevant information with them that they may not have access to.  Many federal resource managers are now struggling to interpret and implement direction from the Administration concerning competitive sourcing.  While recently in Washington, D.C., Anne noticed an article in the Washington Post concerning competitive sourcing.  She clipped this article and faxed it to several contacts she knew to be involved in making decisions on competitive sourcing at the time.  This gesture let her contacts know that not only was she thinking of them, but that she was tuned in to the issues they were focused on at the time. 

The premise of all kinds of support groups from Weight Watchers to Alcoholics Anonymous is that people whose efforts are supported are more likely to be successful.  Although these groups are formed to address specific issues, your network of contacts can offer the same benefits when it comes to career issues, that is, members of your network can listen, model behaviors, and offer support and ideas.  Karen recently had lunch with a manager to whom she had not talked for some time.  Karen and Debbie’s careers had begun at approximately the same time and advanced in different agencies over the years.  At lunch the two talked about how each had independently come to the same conclusion, that they preferred line positions—District Ranger and Field Office Manager—over staff roles.  After the conversation, both felt validated by the other with respect to this preference, despite the fact that their line positions frequently meant dealing with difficult public controversies and supervision issues.  We all need validation from others at times, and the members of your network can provide this for you.  

So, take the initiative to stay in touch in a meaningful way with your unique network, however informal it may be.  You can offer them information, opportunities, and support, and you’ll receive the same in return.  Go ahead, increase your rolodexterity!