Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-art-of-power-networking-guidelines-for-telling-your-story-effectively/5013106/
Years ago, as the director of an urban child care agency, I faced a troubling dilemma. My agency, KCMC Child Development Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri, was a success by anyone's standard. With limited resources, we had delivered high quality programming for almost two decades. We had earned recognition nationally as an innovative leader in early care and education. Yet, in our own hometown, we were a well-kept secret. Local leaders - including funders - didn't give us the time of day. When I shared my frustration with a friend and mentor in higher education, she quickly advised me to start networking with community leaders. "If you can gain access and tell your story," she said, "I'm sure you'll get what you want."How to identify and influence people who could help children and families had long been a concern of mine. How do I get to tell our story? How do I get access to civic leaders and power brokers? How do I reach people who can make a difference, politically and financially? I had pondered such questions with friends and associates for many years, and was eager to tell my story to a broader audience.
The power and wisdom of my ...