I follow a really good group on LinkedIn.

Its the Sales Playbook.  The group has 25,402 members (as of 8am 11/3/2011) and there are many who are actively engaged in some good discussions.

At first I thought maybe it’s not so relevant to me since I contend that I no longer have a corporate sales position.  However, the discussions I have found here are varied and interesting.

This morning I jumped into a discussion where Tessa Stowe asked “How would you describe the difference between a Great Networker and an Amateur Networker?”  This discussion gathered 28 good comments before I jumped in and offered my opinion.

Here is my thought on this question:

An amateur Networker is swayed by the pressures of the job and boss to “grip and grin their way thru every networking event, collect business cards and populate their CRM system.” Then, when not doing this, they are calling people and begging them to buy their widget.

A Great Networker knows life is all about building & expanding relationships and this starts by saying hello to someone new, listening to them and then helping them.

By building a network of simple (& growing) relationships with trusted connections a Great Networker knows that they can then ask, “Who else do you think I should meet?”

This question from a Great Networker to someone they are building a relationship with will invariably open a door for that next opportunity.

A Great Network always puts the other person first. ALWAYS!

Help yourself in life – become a Great Networker.  It’s easy and rewarding.