Sports Networking

Hello!

I have the fortune to know some rookies competing in different sports, and until today they are building for themselves a future at their speciality. The first boy I like to speak to you is Juan Pablo, current mexican champion of kart racing (go-karts), he is actually 8 years old, and has been competing for 2 years, his racing idol is Michael Schumacher. When I speak to his parents about Juan Pablo's skills, I understood the importance it makes for both parents to do networking to support their children's progress.

Juan Pablo with his "supporting team"

Juan Pablo's father now is studying mechanics and chemistry in order to help his kid to have a better equipment for the race. On Karts racing, the vehicle represents 50% of the race, the other 50% is the pilot. So you'll imagine that because of Juan Pablo's age this support that his father is reallizing is fundamental. His dad now is part of the mechanic team, and additionaly manages the public relations, the international affairs, academic support when he travels, among other activities.

When his parents shared with us, Juan Pablo's victories, really proud from his particular performance, the people at the meeting were really interested in conforming a supporting team. In exchange we asked Juan Pablo to take a picture with us, so we can relate that we were there before he is worldwide known.

The other story I'd like to share has to do with a couple of brothers, I met them since the day they were born. They both are really into the mountain bike, and have competed in different levels nationally. They have a very good performance and they both get some sponsors, also by competing they get the economic reward.

Their parents also have done a lot of concesions to make them get into this competitions, like first perfomance training, trips to diffierent locations. They both train about 4 hours daily and up to 8 hours on weekends. Considering that they are between the 15 and 17 years old, and accumulating performance credits, soon we will be listening on their achievements in this sport.

Andrés (5th general) y David (2nd general)

Their father tell us that he also had learned on some nutritional facts also post-training massages, suggested always by his acquintances made by networking.

So I Ieave you with the recommendations to promote your sports networking mindset, eventhough we are not implicated at the sport performance: 

1.- Ask for help of other people that show interest in your son's skills, more than one will be proud to help on the development of a gifted child.
2.- Use your new contacts among your competitors, asking them on their skills, hobbies or other issues related can make your competence more fun, and you will learn some tips.
3.- Joining a specific team to practice your favorite sport will bring you some business opportunities, take advantage and relate to your new sports networking.

Daily Networking

Hello!

The last week I had to do job outside my office, and I haven't programmed it in advance. So the lunch time came and I wasn't sure where to go. The first thing I did was asking some of the people that was with me, where they like to eat around the office. A lot of people made me some recommendations, and 2 of them agreed on the same options, so I headed to that place.

On the big cities, you can always find some little spaces or fast food carts, that generally had very good record with the surrounding people. The place was a restaurant of sandwiches, salads and juices, "Jugos Don Lalo". Walking I arrive to the place, alone, so I sit beside the bar and start watching the place.

It was not different from other many places, although the woman that was attending was a charm, and she looked as enjoying the experience of dealing with the customers. Almost each customer treated her by her name, and she offered recommendations on the "today specials", what was "best" or "fresher" that day, and also she give advice on the better choices for their special needs: if on a diet, salad; if starving, a sandwich and juice.

Each of her conversations was like making Networking, she really related to her clients and they to her. When the volume of customers reduced, I start to ask her questions on the business like, since when the business opened, schedule, what were the business advantages, how did she related to her boss, her peers. She keep answering.

Imelda and Me at "Jugos Don Lalo"

At the end of our chat, I told her about this proyect, and ask her if she allow me to take her picture to include it on this story, she obviously said yes and also participated on the picture framing, she wanted that the restaurant show its best face. We also exchange our facebook accounts and promise to keep in touch.

So here are Imelda's recomendations for Networking:

1.- You can't buy trust, you should work each day to earn the trust of our neighbors.
2.- It doesn't matter if your language is Spanish, English, German or French, if you can say Sandwich and Coke, the people will understand.
3.- If you have to work with people, make your work worth the difference, you can always get a new friend or a new contact, working in good terms is always more fun.

Big Brother and Networking

Hello!

Now that I'm making some experiments with this virtual presence called Blog, I've reached some peers from my office and friends (closer and farther) that have their own opinions about what I'm writing. First of all, I'd like to thank all the people that have visited this Blog for the reason they had, specially those who had the time to read my content, for your effort, thank you!

On the other side I'd like to tell you something related to Big Brother, this means that when people is watching you, and you do not have any idea that they are observing. Sometimes they are acquaintances or friends that have told me: "I've read your blog", and then they give me some feedback, outside the virtual space. Also I've realized that there are some other people that I have not had the pleasure to meet and that have taken the time to share with me their own proposals.

Let me tell you some of my reflections, when one is introduced in this communication virtual spaces, has to always remember that the information that is shared, is public, it means that anyone with internet and a browser could find the information you are sharing.

I can always understand that my friends have found my information, I shared it through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Linkedin, it should be expected. But when the remote readers appear, people with whom I have never had contact, the issue is some kind different, is like I was trying to explain, Big Brother but global.

Big Brother Publicity in Australia

Nowadays I have some followers on Twitter that I have not been able to identify, each of them following me until the blog appeared. Some other followers have subscribed specifically to the blog (thanks a lot) and which I hope to have sooner or later some virtual contact. The reflection I want to share with you with this information is:

1.- Everything you publish on internet, could be reviewed by anybody, so take care on the format, the content and the information you want to share.
2.- Remember that your family, friends and acquaintances, could be related in your publishing process, if you are worried that they get some attention, do not mention them.
3.- Seize the advantages of the distance and the virtuality, I've always taught that we can meet a lot of people in this world, with similar or different points of view, but they can provide to our lives new knowledge, get the best on this type of spaces to improve your networking. 

Distance Networking

Hello!

I have some friends asking me how to manage and keep in good terms a working team that lives abroad; that wants to keep communicated, and share their experiences among its peers. So this post is related to a strategy we applied to improve our team confidence.

On past December we wanted to have a Christmas party, but we were just 4 people on Monterrey, the rest of the team was on different cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Panama, Lima, Bogota and Miami

We had limited budget to make the trip and have personal contact, so we better organize a virtual video call, that means we had to use our cameras and microphones on the computer, connect using an operative system and start the communication.

There are several systems that allow virtual video calling, some of them are private, other have cost, other are 100% free and public, it depends on the needs for communication, handling confidential information or other needs.

We decided to use Skype, because it has good rates on the cities where the personnel lived. We organized previously the event agenda and share the information. The general idea was to learn a little bit more about the personal issues of the rest of the team.

We started and participated by turns, everyone can ask questions on specific matters on the personal presentation of each one. Some of the themes that were mentioned included, hobbies, trips, family and pets. Skype allows to share audio and video material so we shared pictures, videos and songs.

By the end of the party, the team told me that the experience was really motivating, and even though they where far apart, the possibility they had to share make them feel confident with their peers.

The following video includes a general description on how you can use this type of technology so you can learn on the advantages of it and try to keep your family, friends and peers closer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qulggXtg00

Linkedin Networking

Hello!

Another tool to make Networking is the social network, Linkedin. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, this social network is basically constituted by professionals that seek to promote their professional achievements and the activities they do. The type of comments that are posted in this network have to do with job trends, events, education, among others.

I become a Linkedin member some years ago, but haven't make much progress on it, first because I wasn't informed about its use, and second because the insecurity made me get out of some of my social networks. Now I can tell that the insecurity issues can be limited in this virtual world, just have your security issues well known.

About one year ago, I reactivated my accounts, and payed much more attention to Linkedin about six months ago. In my research, I discover that the people that use this social network conforms 3 different groups:

a) Human Resources people, recruiting and posting job offers.
b) People searching for a job or a switch on their careers.
c) People offering services like training or consulting, directly linked with the other two groups.

Each individual can have a lot of contacts among his web, the interesting side is to choose wisely which people is suited to be in contact with you. If your intention is to look for some job opportunities, you may want to have contact with some HR recruiters.

If you want to have networking contacts, in the search of new business opportunities, maybe at another country, then the recommendation is that first you look for a direct contact on the city you like to make business and then start your search.

A day ago, one of my students asked me to contact him with a friend of mine that lives in the United States, he was looking for a contact at a specific city and I think he didn't know anyone over there. Then another advantage arose, when you don't know directly someone that you're interested to contact, Linkedin review your contact web and relate to other contacts you may have in common, as my student realize he and my friend had me in common.

Finally, this network also allows you ask to your contacts that recommend your posts, review and check your skills, and also you can apply directly to specific job positions that are suited for your professional profile. The final reflection is, take advantage of the networking to improve your personal contacts, having global acquaintances always be a competitive advantage for you.

Asking for help

Hello!

A basic element that has to be developed on the Networking process, is the help or support that is asked from your acquaintances. It's an elegant way to say it, but for many people, asking for a favor is something really complicated.

Lets start with a person needing something, regularly she wants to solve it by her own mean, if this need can be "bought" at a convenient price, maybe its for the best that she acquire the object or the service and solve this need. But sometimes its about information, she doesn't know how much this service is worth or maybe its a product that is not on sale. The question is, ¿How can I solve this situation? ¿With whom I have to go to learn what to do?

In my personal case, I have technological lagoons pretty big, the simple fact that I'm writing this Blog has been a learning and knowledge case. For this purpose, I had a need, then I went on by trying to solve it, I assumed that if many people had Blogs, it was going to be an experiential learning, as you can see, I haven't known any thing about it, and I'm still learning.

I also like to make things well done, so I went to some friends I had and that were experts on social networks, public media, blogs, etc. I got the help from 2 of them, one specially related to the blog, and the other on promotion in Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, as you may see this blog hasn't went viral, because I'm still on my Beta version (this was my first learning).

Their advice hasn't finished, and maybe I'll need the help from other friends too, so with my writing I'm engaging them to continue supporting me. But I'll share with you some reflections that regarding networking can be done to ask for help.

1.- I always assume that the people has good heart and willing to help. So I go with them with a very specific question, for example: I'm writing a Blog, and I need the help from someone expert, ¿Can you help me?
2.- Try to be extremely specific when asking for help, do not take other people time, if the advice is not working or you're not understanding, it's better that you make some more research and then get back, your friend will be thankful that you don't take away his time.
3.- Don't try to learn everything in only one session, it's going to be nearly impossible that you end your advice in just 30 minutes, remember you're getting free help, don't get advantage on that.

The people like to be recognized on our skills, so your friends will be grateful if you recognize their expertise, try it the next time you have some new issue to learn.

Musical Networking

Hello!

“I love music. For me, music is morning coffee. It's mood medicine. It's pure magic. A good song is like a good meal-I just want to inhale it and then share a bite with someone else.” 
― Hoda Kotb, Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee

I'd like to speak about an interesting topic that will pop out at some of your networking meetings, Music. This type of knowledge, general for some of us and specific for others, includes the cultural background we have and this will help us to improve our conversation and include different subjects to our networking skills.

First we have to understand that musical tastes are infinite and if we don't like what our neighbor likes we could be aware of what other people like to enjoy. It doesn't mean that we have to agree with everything, but to respect what the other people like. Sometimes its better to show a real interest on other people musical taste, in order to make good networking.

Without being square, male and female have substantial differences among musical tastes. Women usually listen to ballads, pop, and dance music. Men like drums, guitars, bases, it could be rock, jazz, blues, regional but with a very specific style. Some characteristics depend on the place or situation where they are, the music has to be accordingly.

One of my office peers listen to different types of music in his spot, and because he is near my place, suddenly I begin to enjoy the music too. After 3 days of sharing this musical sounds, I approached him and asked about a specific song, then I made a suggestion, afterwards he made me another suggestion, by the time I'm writing this blog we have a competition on whom is going to bring the better, different or newest song style. This situation made me learn different things related to this topic and I made also this reflection.

Ir order to have an interesting conversation among musical genres, it's important to have information on what your peer like, maybe you haven't heard anything from it. Its a very good way to learn something new, ask your friend to explain you about the music he or she likes, try to get some examples from it, and maybe the next time you have more information on that specific music.

If you are beginning to listen different types of music, in wikipedia I found the following list, that if not exhaustive, can provide a general idea about the different types of genres and sub-genres. Review them so you can start your knowledge on this cultural theme.

Pop: Synthpop Europop Italo disco Post-disco Dance-pop Sophisti-pop Indie pop Power pop Teen pop Britpop Adult contemporary Pop latino Melodic Song Author Song Electrónic: Dance Eurodance House Techno Trance Drum and bass Dubstep Breakbeat Hardcore Hi-NRG New age Downtempo Chill out Trip hop Ambient Electro Industrial

Rock: Rock and roll Rockabilly Hard rock Glam rock Pop rock Garage rock Punk rock Hardcore Gothic rock Psycho Rock Acid rock Folk rock Progressive Electrónico Urbano Christiano Heavy metal Thrash metal Doom metal Groove metal Metalcore Rap metal Folk metal Progresive Metal Screamo Power metal Death metal Alternativ Grunge Indie rock Industrial Mestize

Black: Blues Boogie-woogie Blues rock Rhythm and blues R&B contemporány Góspel Soul Funk Música disco Rap (or hip-hop) Ska Reggae Jazz: Ragtime New Orleans jazz Dixieland Swing Be bop Cool jazz Free jazz Latin jazz Jazz fusión Jazz funk Jazz rock Acid jazz Smooth jazz Variety: Cabaret Cuplé Music hall Vodevil Revista Easy listening

Latino: Bolero Merengue Afro-cubana Beguine Bossa-nova Salsa Mambo Calipso Bachata Samba Tango Tropical Mariachi Ranchera Chachachá Reguetón Cumbia World music): Country Bluegrass Fado Flamenco Copla Chanson Música folk Música celta Schlager Raï Pop árabe Afrobeat Highlife Kwela J-pop K-pop Guoyue Enka Filmi