Robyn Henderson

Robyn Henderson, a global Networking Specialist has a keynote speaker and business educator in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. During a career spanning more than twenty five years, with over eight years as a professional speaker, ten years in sales and telemarketing management and thirteen years in hospitality, Robyn has developed insights into networking and prospecting.  She was awarded the National Speakers Association of Australia 1997 Speaker Award, and was listed in the Top 50 Australian Business Woman Hall of Fame, and in the Top 100 Spirited Women of Australia. Robyn is a Certified Speaking Professional member (1999) of the National Speakers Association of Australia, an accreditation currently held by only eight women in Australia.  She has authored several books including "Be Seen, Get Known, Move Ahead" and "Networking Magic - 366 Hot Networking Tips"

See what Robyn has to say about Networking in the Centre for Leadership for Women's  September 2000 Issue 1 Leading Issues Journal.

Interview with Robyn Henderson

1.     Do you see yourself as a leader?

      YES, I do see myself as a leader and have always done so, even in school.  

2.     What is the vision that you hope to achieve and how are you aiming to do this?

      My vision is to show people how to love and value themselves. Through learning strategies on how to maintain high self esteem myself, I can pass this on to others. Getting people to believe in themselves and their true potential is my ultimate vision

3.     What insights have you gained from your professional and personal life that has helped you to develop your leadership focus?

    * Never ask anyone to do anything that you won't do yourself - whether its sweeping the floor or filing the dockets.

    * Life is not a popularity contest - you rarely please all of the people all of the time, so stop trying. - do what you believe is right

    * Stand up for what you believe in even under adversity.

    * Its okay to fail, if you never try you will never know if you can do it or not. Don't die wondering, what if

4.     How have other women helped you in pursuing your personal and professional goals?

      Both men and women have helped me achieve my goals. A word of encouragement here and there, an introduction to a key player. Basically having someone believe in you goes a long way. You in turn can also help others.

5.     Do you feel that the Queen Bee syndrome exists in the corporate world, where women offer little help to those who would like to reach the heights their sisters have?

      There are definitely some Queen Bees who see that helping others may diminish their own power. However, the more enlightened people, realise that there are plenty of opportunities for everyone and helping others just ultimately makes it easier for everyone. Having an abundance mentality is one of the keys to leadership - making the pie bigger for all, rather than thinking there is not enough to go around.

6.     What strengths do you attribute the success of your business ventures to, and how have you overcome your weaknesses, if any?

      Persistence, clarity of vision and being prepared to fail have certainly helped me. I often ask myself (when I am about to launch a new venture or try something different) what is the worst thing that could happen. Once I identify that, I ask myself, can I cope with that thing. The answer is always yes and so I do it.

       It helps to be a risk taker and also to be able to make decisions quickly.

       A weakness is possibly getting too involved with staff and their lives/problems and at times the boss/assistant line gets blurred.

7.     How has networking helped you?

      I believe that networking is a life skill, not just something we do when we want something. Networking has opened many , many doors for me. In 8 years I have never advertised for speaking engagements and to date have spoken in 10 countries and speak approx. 200 times per year - all through networking - I don't advertise.

8.     Are there any differences in the way women network with each other as opposed to networking with males? 

      The differences in networking styles are not so much female/male as the differences in communication. Women build relationships and often reveal more intimate details than men. e.g. I am divorced with 5 kids, another women would say "me too". Possibly for men to reveal something like this, they may feel quite uncomfortable if it was a stranger. Men tend to go for the business connection first, whereas women build the relationship and trust first through communication and then attract the business rather than needing to wheel and deal.

9.     Are there any differences in the way men network with each other as opposed to networking with females?

      I can't speak authoritatively on that because I am not a male. However, I would imagine it is more the differences in communication as per previous answer.

10.  Do male and female networks have inherent barriers that keep out individuals? How can one overcome these barriers?

      No , I don't believe their are obvious barriers other than those we self impose. Unless it is a gender issue where men or women are not specifically allowed, and that would stop you going. 

      If you felt uncomfortable going to a predominantly male network, you may ask a male associate to accompany you and also ask for a few tips.

      Best bet is to do your homework on whatever is relevant for the industry or profession, whose network you are attending. Be up on the latest projects, headlines or key players - be prepared 

11.  Do people in other countries network differently in their professional lives? In your opinion what do you attribute these differences to?

      There are many countries in the world and they all have varying levels of cultural differences. In NZ, people are not pushy, often reluctant to self promote, whereas in USA, this is certainly not the case.

      In Asia, the networking is very family/relation based and everyone seems to know everyone. . . .

      If I am planning to do work with a certain culture or country, I would again do my homework on what is important and appropriate. I would also try to befriend a countryman in your own country, who you can trust to give you additional tips - basically a list of do's and don't. Most consuls, could direct you to courses on cultural etiquette.

      My rule of thumb is to treat people the way you want to be treated.

12. What advice would you give to individuals who do not have the confidence to network?

Become a good listener. Ask open ended questions (usually start with who, what, how, when, where or when) and listen for the answers. Make heart to heart connections, which mean that you basically listen with your heart as well as your ears. Focus on the person you are speaking to, listen with your heart and you will never have to worry about conversation again - the conversation will flow quite naturally.

Again, ask a buddy to come with you to a networking function.