Tim Cork: Rules to Win the Networking Game - Dec. 5, 2006

Three A’s, Seven G’s - or Tim Cork’s approach to achieving straights A’s in life.

At SCNetworks annual Holiday evening, Tim Cork led a chat about the value of networking and how he has taken some basic lessons in his life and combined them into an inspiring new book – Tapping the Iceberg.

The three A’s are Attitude, Aptitude and Action.  To which I believe we could add a fourth – Alignment.  For Tim it’s an unstated A.  But a careful read of his concepts, and the results he has achieved in his career reflect that you have to get all three A’s aligned to be as successful.  But three A’s without his concept of seven G’s would not be enough.  The G’s are: “give, give, give, give, give, give, and give again”.  Typical of Tim, he practices what he preaches and provided every attendee with a copy of his new book.

Tim tackled the concept of networking – often something we see as a separate activity.  From Tim’s perspective, networking = people, and is just connecting with people – something we do all the time.  It’s not, says Tim, a separate activity.  His book and his concepts are nothing terribly new.  What is new is the way he has brought the concepts together in an impelling argument for the three A’s and seven G’s.

It all starts with Attitude.  And Tim certainly demonstrated the kind of positive attitude that will take you forward.  Greatly influenced by the Dr Seuss book, Oh the Places You’ll Go, Tim starts out with the premise that we control our destiny from the way we react to the world, our Attitude. 

Dr Seuss says:

“You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.”

And Tim Cork says: “To soar with the eagles you have to be an eagle”; “Success is just a few disciplines practiced everyday.”; “Be a host not a guest – the host has an attitude that focuses on the needs of others.”

Tim’s contagious enthusiasm is an excellent model for organizational effectiveness and change.  When leaders of change communicate the change effectively and positively (Attitude), when they have the right processes in place (Aptitude), and when they follow through with the right actions (Action) change occurs more quickly and more smoothly.  And when they take into account the needs of the people affected by the change (7G’s) the change management process can be a success.

A slim 148 page easy read Tapping the Iceberg  is full of relevant quotes and simple to implement ideas, is a must read volume, and a book you are sure to return to for inspiration time and again.