Business is built on networks. Sure, most modern businesses rely on Cisco to power their digital networks, but businesses cannot succeed without the types of networks the pre-date Cisco, Microsoft and even Bulletproof! Those networks are your networks of contacts, friends, business associates and family. Building and maintaining those networks can be challenging, especially when we get wrapped up in the social media hype of 'I have more friends than you', but understanding both the importance and correct size of those (hopefully) vibrant social networks is as critical to the success of our businesses as is having a reliable and robust computer network.

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Over the past 2 weeks I have had the incredible privilege to enjoy the company of a number of local business owners who are, in my opinion, experts in their fields. The purpose of our weekly lunchtime meet-ups is to discuss social media, its implications on businesses, and how to harness the opportunities that this new media offers.

One of the curiousities of our meetings is the perception of experts. Each one of us is an expert in our own right, and yet we rarely perceive ourselves as such. The facilitator of our meetings, Rob Paterson, often says that it is those who proclaim themselves infallible experts are the very experts that we should avoid. With that hanging over our heads we muddle along, discussing ways to connect with our customers, expand the reach of our individual businesses, and discover how to be more engaged in the communities that support us. Ever the consummate observer, I have realized that in spite of our reluctance to proclaim ourselves experts, our collective knowledge, experience, and connectedness (more on that in a later post) makes the collective 'us' an expert. Confused? Let me explain.

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As a consultant I often work on short term contracts and bounce between many clients and projects over short periods of time.  It could be easy in this sort of role to get complacent about building strong, lasting, relationships with the customers. These relationships are of paramount importance.

Obviously, as consultants, the most important thing is that our projects complete on time, on budget and fulfilling scope. Those expectations are a given.   However, it is equally important that we integrate with our clients and become part of their team as much as possible. Becoming part of the team gives an insight that can't be found in any system configuration file or corporate policy that we might be examining.

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