{"id":1454,"date":"2010-03-05T20:47:29","date_gmt":"2010-03-06T00:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/?p=1454"},"modified":"2010-04-28T13:57:29","modified_gmt":"2010-04-28T17:57:29","slug":"kiss-up-or-savvy-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/kiss-up-or-savvy-player\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiss-Up or Savvy Player?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Boss<\/a>
\nBY JENNIFER V. MILLER<\/a><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve seen them at work: those people who are always volunteering for committees, enthusiastically attending industry events, and being all \u201cIt was a team effort!\u201d at department meetings. What\u2019s your take on this? Are they supreme “kiss-ups” angling to look good in front of the boss. . . or are they savvy business people who know how to \u201cwork it\u201d? It really depends on your mindset.<\/h3>\n

Two Types of Networking <\/strong><\/p>\n

Would you call your friend who\u2019s an Account Executive a kiss-up for making phone calls and asking for referrals? No, probably not, because in your mind, that\u2019s what someone in a sales job \u201cshould\u201d do. People expect outside sales reps to be making phone calls and attending industry functions. It\u2019s seen as a required part of their daily work; nobody attaches an \u201cevil intent\u201d to the activity. Connection-making of this sort is external networking \u2013 making connections beyond the company walls.<\/p>\n

But what if your job rarely requires you to interact outside your company walls? Does \u201cnetworking\u201d have any relevance for you? It sure does! It\u2019s called internal networking, and it should be part of your personal branding plan. If you\u2019re still thinking that creating connections is a form of \u201cplaying politics\u201d consider this: Seth Godin\u2019s new book Linchpin identifies the ability of \u201ccreating connections\u201d as one of the top two skills in his \u201cHierarchy of Value\u201d. The higher you go in the hierarchy, the more value you bring to your company. Godin asserts that workers who create connections are paid better and enjoy more interesting work. The icing on the cake? Not everyone is able (or willing) to do this\u2014 so your skills will be coveted. (Linchpin, 2010, p.25.)<\/p>\n

How Can I Improve My Internal Networking? <\/strong><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s say that you\u2019re on board with the internal networking idea. How do you go about developing this skill?<\/p>\n

The first thing you need to do is know that the effective internal networker is one who\u2019s always going for the win-win. They create connections because they believe that reaching out to others will help all involved, including the company. Internal networking means that you reach out to colleagues within your organization, even if your job doesn\u2019t require you to do so. It\u2019s going beyond your normal scope of job responsibilities. Being an internal networker means you are looking outside your immediate, day-to-day activities and thinking about how you can connect with and create value for others in your company.<\/p>\n

Take a moment and remember a time when you successfully made a connection beyond your department boundaries. Think about how you benefitted and the other person did too. That will help you get in the right frame of mind.<\/p>\n

Here are some ideas for creating connections: <\/strong><\/p>\n