Synopsis

Mike Macedonio joins Dr. Misner this week to talk about “Networking Up.” We tend to network with people like ourselves or people who are less successful than we are. This is where we feel comfortable, but if everyone brings people at the same level into the network, over time the network will weaken.

Instead, we should look for opportunities to “network up” and connect with people who are more successful than we are.

Networking Up Doesn’t Mean Excluding Your Current Network

When you make connections to successful people, look for opportunities to invite members of your current network to meet them, or to invite these new connections to your other networks.

Where to Network Up

It’s not just the yacht club and the country club. Successful people are often charitable people, so service organizations like Rotary and charity fundraisers are great opportunities to meet them. Professional associations can also introduce you to people who have progressed further than you have in your profession.

How to Network Up

Networking up is not about sucking up. Networking is always about helping others as a way of growing your business. No matter how much more successful the other person is, there will be something they need help with.

Brought to you by the Networking for Success Channel on YouTube.

Complete Transcript of Episode 530-

Priscilla:

Hello everybody and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast, brought to you by the Networking for Success Channel on YouTube, which features Dr. Ivan Miser and many other networking experts. I am Priscilla Rice, and I am coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan, how are you today?

Ivan:I am doing great, Priscilla, and it was really great to see you recently. I saw you at the [chapter] recently. I was in the general Bay Area on another and I reached out to the chapter and was able to drop in. What a great group and it was fantastic having you there. I really enjoyed it. I get to see you so seldom. That was wonderful. It was great to connect with you.

I have a guest today. A really good friend of mine. The idea for this podcast, in our article, actually came from him. Mike Macadonio. Mike started with BNI 20 years ago. 20 Years! This is his 20 anniversary with BNI. He started in the region on the east coast and is now in the Bay Area. Priscilla, you know Mike well.

Priscilla:

I do.

Ivan:

In addition, Mike is the Co-Founder, with me, of Asentive, a coaching and consulting company and he is also the co-author for two of my books. Both best selling books “Truth or Delusion” and “World’s Best Known Marketing Secret” the fourth edition. Mike, it’s really a pleasure to have you on my podcast.

Mike:

It’s great to be on, Ivan. Many greetings from all the folks here at Asentive, in Milan with many of your fans. I keep talking about your visit here two years ago. So, I pass on all of your best wishes.

Ivan:

I had a blast there. The members from BNI are awesome. The trainers and clients from Asentive are amazing. Please tell them I said hi.

We are talking today about networking up and [its] three points. I want to get to those three points but we want to talk about the scary part of networking up and then we will talk about some key points where to network up and how to network up.

Mike:

The scary part that I see is, naturally we tend to network with people like ourself, with the same level of success. Success is many different things. We tend to network with people like ourselves or people that are less successful....