Welcome back to another episode of Stories of Service. In this podcast episode Theresa interviews Scott Manthorn, an expert on networking and connecting people. The discussion covers various aspects of networking, including its importance, techniques, and how it relates to the military community. Scott shares insights from his book 'The Military Effect,' which features stories from 50 military veterans and their experiences with networking. He emphasizes the power of genuine connections, active listening, and leveraging platforms like LinkedIn. The conversation also touches on transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce and the challenges veterans face in building professional networks. Overall, the episode aims to provide practical networking advice and highlight the value of bridging the gap between the military and business communities.
Meet the Guest: Scott Manthorne
Meet Scott Manthorne, a seasoned professional in the realm of networking. With a rich background in founding networking organizations and working with professional athletes and CEOs, Scott's journey is deeply rooted in the principles of connectivity and collaboration. Influenced by his father's involvement in networking from a young age, Scott has cultivated a profound understanding of how genuine connections can drive personal and professional success.
🔑 Key Takeaways
✔️ The Essence of Networking: Networking is about creating opportunities for people with common interests to connect and achieve mutual objectives. Active listening, asking questions, and finding commonalities are crucial components.
✔️ Overcoming Networking Challenges: Common challenges like shyness or introversion can be mitigated by preparing questions in advance and allowing others to speak first. Virtual networking has also emerged as a powerful tool, especially during the pandemic.
✔️ The Military Effect: Scott’s book highlights the networking experiences of 50 military veterans, aiming to help civilians better understand and connect with the veteran community, breaking down preconceived notions about military service.
✔️ Networking Strategies and Techniques: Start small by building a few connections, leverage LinkedIn, and treat your network as an asset. Maintain genuine relationships, provide value, and seek diversity within your network.
✔️ Action Items: Find a book or resource on networking that resonates with you, utilize LinkedIn effectively, start by reaching out to a few trusted connections, actively maintain and nurture relationships, and identify key individuals or 'circles' within your network for collaboration.
💡Discussion Points
- Networking Beyond Business: Scott emphasizes that networking isn't confined to professional settings. It can happen anywhere, including social gatherings and chance encounters.
- Virtual Networking: The shift towards virtual networking during the pandemic has shown that it can be as effective as in-person networking, offering new opportunities and strategies.
- Bridging the Military-Civilian Gap: The discussion highlights the importance of understanding and connecting with the veteran community, facilitating smoother transitions into civilian careers.
- The Role of LinkedIn: Leveraging LinkedIn's features can significantly enhance networking efforts, helping individuals find commonalities, engage with others, and expand their professional connections.
- Maintaining Authentic Relationships: Genuine connections and providing value to one’s network are critical. Treating your network as an asset means actively nurturing and maintaining these relationships.
Resources
Scott Manthorne's Book, "The Military Effect": A collection of networking stories from 50 military veterans, offering insights and strategies for effective networking.
Books on Networking: Find books that resonate with you on the topic of networking to gain inspiration and learn about different approaches.
Networking Organizations: Join networking organizations to meet new people, learn from others, and expand your connections.
Online Networking Events: Participate in virtual networking events to connect with individuals from various fields and industries.
