Diane Darling's Blog

Test your networking skills to avoid hitting the skids

It was rainy, cold, and windy -- in other words, a typical spring day in New England. There were roughly 20 of us huddled in a trailer in a parking lot. The group was made up of parents and teenage children.

We were getting ready to learn, test, and challenge ourselves at Stevens Skid School. The idea was to make us better drivers and more prepared for unexpected situations.

We went through a variety of exercises -- from emergency stops, to the slalom, to participating in a mock tailgating drill. Statistics show that first-year drivers have a 40 percent accident rate. Graduates of this course have significantly fewer accidents.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal.

A tough economy makes networking more crucial

By all accounts, the economy is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. And when times are tough, networking seems like the last thing anyone wants to do.

However, it is in these challenging days that you need to reach out to others and let them know how they can help you and vice versa.

Networking is building relationships before you need them. Now is the perfect time to reconnect with people in your current network. Nothing against meeting new people, but cherish your existing contacts.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

 

Dr. Ruth has some advice

Yesterday I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Ruth ... THAT Dr. Ruth. She's only 4'7" and wow, what energy. (Note, I am only 5'4" if I stand TALL!)

She has a very warm style and is indeed very funny. While we were waiting for our coffee to arrive, she handed me a small gift. A keychain that has an image of her book - Sex for Dummies. She laughed when I told her it was one of my favorite wedding gifts.

Her family was lost in the Holocaust. She spoke about her obligation to remember what happened but also her obligation to share her gifts and help others succeed. Indeed she brings incredible joy to many. She'll turn 80 years old in June and teaches classes at Yale and Princeton For more information, you can go here to read her bio.

I am writing a column for an upcoming issue of the Boston Business Journal. I'll let you know when it's published.

This Thanksgiving, reflect on your personal network

Paula Boggs loves cookies. So when the executive assistant for the CEO called Paula to say that cookies had been delivered for her, she went right over to get them.

Paula was very excited about her new job as the general counsel for Starbucks. She opened the card and saw the gift was from Doc Spadye. Doc was the mail guy who came around each day at the law firm Preston Gates & Ellis, where Paula previously worked, and she always enjoyed her conversations with him. Their chats were a welcome diversion from her cases, and Paula enjoyed hearing about the happenings in his life and at the firm.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

Baseball & networking: Be sure to cover your bases

With the Red Sox hosting the first game of the American League Championship Series tonight, Boston is in the grips of baseball fever. But......

To read the entire article, please click this link from the Boston Business Journal

Enjoy ~ Diane

Networking tool time: Have the necessary equipment

Whether you are an elite runner or someone like me (I only run when I am late for a plane), it is imperative to......

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

Happy Networking ~ Diane

Doing good can lead to rewards you never considered

Alfred Nobel got quite a surprise as he picked up the newspaper one morning and read his own obituary. His brother had died, but the newspaper goofed.

"The merchant of death is dead," it read, "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday."

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

Best ~ Diane

Give it a rest: Only you can prevent networking burnout

I like peppermint patties, popcorn and a hot bath after a long hike. However, unless I want to walk around like a shriveled up prune, it is a good idea to take a break every so often.

I am experiencing EEB -- Excessive Event Burnout. In the spirit of Independence Day, I am taking a break from feeling that I must attend every event in eastern Massachusetts.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

Cheers ~ Diane

The 20-minute rule can lead to better networking

Over the holiday weekend I was heading north when I saw a car with a completely flat tire. There was a woman with white hair walking toward the next mileage sign and her husband was with the car. I did not see them soon enough to pull over.

As I drove along I convinced myself that someone would stop. Then I started wondering if they had a cell phone. The woman was wearing one of my mom's favorite colors. They were someone's parents. I realized that I was not in a rush and I was the someone to stop.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal

A few tricks to master the networking name game

It happens to the best of us at the worst time. You have just met someone at an event and then two seconds later you have no clue what their name is. Or you see someone walking up to you with an extended hand and smile. You think to yourself: "Uhm, what's their name?"

I have great news for you -- you are not alone. In fact you are probably in the majority.

First, let me allay the fears for you boomers who are terrified of growing old. If you cannot remember where you put your keys, you may simply just have a bad memory -- or maybe you are just disorganized.

To read the entire story, go to this link from the Boston Business Journal