The Timeshare Beat: Jerry Sikes; With Regard to Networking

"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking."

- Raymond Inman -

In the breakthrough book In Search of Excellence, Tom Peters introduced the MBWA concept and in the follow up book A Passion for Excellence he stated the obvious: "The topic of MBWA is at once about common sense, leadership, customers, innovations and people. Simple wandering - listening, empathizing, staying in touch - is an ideal starting point." For those of you who don't remember, MBWA stands for management by wandering around.

Some are wondering what MBWA has to do with networking. Well I'm here to tell you that networking is one of the major reasons many attended or will have attended this year's ARDA gathering in Las Vegas and that wandering around the hallways between Paris and Bally's was where the real action was. Imagine if you will, a large saltwater aquarium filled with the full variety of tropical fish. There were some Angels, lots of Grunts and Groupers, some Puffers and Sweetlips, several Sharks, Barracuda, Snappers, just a few Lions and these were just the sales and marketing types. At every turn you could find similar creatures grouped in committee meetings, around the several seating areas or pretending in the VIP lounges.

One of the most interesting phenomenons that occurred was (or is) at the General Session. This is the time when most who were registered for the conference were expected to assemble and hear the Keynote Speaker set the tone for the whole experience. The stage is set, the audience of thousands were in their seats and a hush falls over the ballroom as Howard gets up and approaches the podium for the official welcome and introductions. Yet, just outside the hall are several individuals standing center room awaiting those who are late arrivals or in anticipation of the session's conclusion. That's when these several thousand inside will exit and see them and know that they are ready to be netted. It's like some new lady of the evening on the stroll down a boulevard remembering her mentor saying: "Work it girl, work it!"

Of course there are many other happenings that make attending the Conference the place to be in mid-April. The Meetings Committee and its Subcommittees have (or will have) presented educational tracks of just about everything in an attempt to keep those in attendance up to date and thinking beyond the current boundaries. The Exhibit Hall will be filled with innovations which provide the Edge that is necessary to stay abreast of trends and ARDA TV will constantly provide riveting viewing for those who tune in, however, Town Square may be where it's at and Connection Cafe may be the place to stay in touch.

After a long day of networking on the floor of the conference, one would think that (even here in "Vegas") the attendees would be ready to put it to bed and rest up for tomorrow's onslaught. Wrong! Today was just the tune-up or the test drive. First Class networking opportunities will (or did) occur at the Hard Rock "Joint". This is (or was) this year’s "ICE Breaker" put on by John and Marsha of the "Networking Hall of Fame" and the principals of I.C.E.Gallery. An evening spent buttonholing, romancing and bull~~shi~~crapping to the beat of Rock (so loud that your chest vibrates) offers a unique challenge to even the world's best. The VIP pass from the Rowley’s which permitted entrance to the The Balcony was the hot ticket on this night.

The “ICE Breaker” was not the first nor the last social opportunity for networking. The 9^th annual ARDA golf tournament was or would be held on Friday and it was everything that Chairman Tony G. and Darla Z. of the Foundation planned it to be. Don’t you know – Golf was invented for networking and so much more happens, tee to green, than just hitting (or attempting to hit) that little white ball. The II party and the Awards Banquet are yet to come. Now Howie Mandel is a network all to himself.

Final Thought

Like the City, the ARDA Conference has a thousand stories. One of those stories would be the outcome of the Marcus Buckingham Strength Finder Profile of ARDA Members. My bet would be that the majority will be found to have as one of their Signature Themes that of Woo (Winning others over). Woo is one of those 34 Signature Themes defined in the book NOW, Discover your Strengths which will have been the subject of the Key Note Speech delivered on Monday. Why Woo? This is why.

“You enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions, and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because they worry about running out of things to say. You don't. Not only are you rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection. Once that connection is made, you are quite happy to wrap it up and move on. There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in. In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet- lots of them.”

Now Woo may be how Mr. Buckingham has titled this strength in his book, however if it were my book, I may have titled it NETWORKING.

PS: If any of you are wondering, I did take the test and yes, Woo is one of my Signature Themes so…

I’ll catch you over near the Connection Cafe'.