Networking Matters

working relationships

Kingsley Aikins, CBE

Co-Founder of Networking Matters…2011-

Worldwide President and CEO of The Ireland Funds 1992 – 2010.

Sydney representative of The Irish Trade Board and IDA Ireland 1985 -1992

Graduate -Trinity College Dublin (1974)…BA Mod Economics and Politics

Member Institutes of Marketing, Export and Linguists (French and Spanish)

Played rugby for Trinity, Irish Universities, Leinster and Vichy (France).

Kingsley worked for The Ireland Funds for 21 years and during that time over a quarter of a billion dollars was raised and distributed to over 1200 projects in Ireland, North and South. These projects were in the areas of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development. The Funds are now active in 39 cities in 13 countries around the world and over 40,000 people attend more than 100 events annually.

Kingsley is a recognized authority on global diaspora issues, philanthropy and networking and has written and spoken extensively on the topics.

In 2008 he was awarded a CBE for fostering British-Irish relations.

Assumptions

Networking is not an event but a process in which you contact, connect, involve and evolve a relationship over time.

Networking is not about your personality. Certain personality types are better at selling. All personality types can have good and bad relationships.

Networking is not about what you know or who you know but is about who knows you and what they think of you.

Networking is not about your ability to compete competing but is about your ability to listen.

Networking is about knowing the extent of your capacity to network (see Dunbar's 150)

Networking is also about knowing The value of weak connections.

Networking is also easier for those with more Social capital as it acts a measure of trust and reciprocity in your network.

Contact Us

Contact

Research

Doing Research (identifying who to contact). What is research? What role does it play in the relationship process? How do you measure its success? What does it mean to ‘rate and screen’ prospects by their ‘capacity’ and ‘propensity’ to do business with you?

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Connect

Cultivation

Doing Cultivation (making the connection). What is cultivation? What role does it play in the relationships process? How do you measure its success? How do you take your prospects on a cultivation journey? What kind of cultivation initiatives can you take?

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Involve

solicitation

Doing Solicitation (asking for the business)? What is solicitation? What role does it play in the relationship process? How do you measure its success? What does it mean to ask for the business? When do you know you are ready and how do you ask?

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evolve

stewardship

Doing Stewardship (evolving the relationship).What is stewardship? What role does it play in the relationship process? How do you measure its success? How important is it in moving from a “transactional” to a “relationship” mindset? Who makes the first move?

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