The purpose of this article

Identify some things for you to think about before you ask someone to do an introduction for you.

You may download a PDF of this posting from: https://koorandassociates.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/if-youre-going-to-ask-someone-to-do-an-introduction.pdf

What made me wonder about the introduction process?

• Recently a friend of mine asked me to do some introductions for his daughter, who has just finished 1^st year university and is looking for a summer job. I asked some relevant people I know. Many of whom agreed for me to do an electronic introduction, leaving it to the daughter and the people I know to then connect directly.
• But that made me wonder. Why did I do the introduction?  No financial benefit to me.  Why did people accept?  Each of them said there were no jobs available for the summer.  No financial benefit to them.

Who are the three people involved in the introduction process?

• The seeker – the person seeking an introduction e.g. my friend’s daughter.
• The introducer e.g. me .
• The introducee e.g. the person or people I know.

Why is the seeker asking for an introduction?

• Address a short-term financial need. g. need a job, need a sales lead.
• Address an information need. g. learn how to find a job, learn how law firms recruit lawyers.
• Build new relationships which might be of value in the future. Each individual relationship will not be of value but the pool will be. A relationship implies long-term communications and interaction.

Why does the introducer agree to do any introduction?

• Knows the seekers and is will doing to do favour. May also believe that the seeker will then “owe a favour”.
• Believes the introducee may be able to help the seeker in some way.
• Believes the introducee might learn something.
• Knows that the introducee has a current problem or issue for which the seeker might have insights or be able to solve.
• Believes the introducee might have a future need for someone like the seeker.
• Some seekers pay for introductions. E.g. sales leads.

Often there is not short-term value to the introducer.

Why does the introduceee agree to the introduction?

• As a favour to the introducer.
• Believes may be able to help the seeker in some way.
• Believes might learn something.
• Has a current problem or issue for which the seeker might have insights or be able to solve.
• Might have a future need for someone like the seeker.
• Some seekers pay for introductions. That is not my model.

Often there is not short-term value to the introducee.

Why will the introducer decline to make an introduction?

• The relationship with the seeker is seen as too little value to warrant any effort.
• Too busy.
• Believes there is no value to the introducer or introducee.
• Cannot think of a single potential introducee.
• Does not want to help for a wide range of reasons.

Why will the introducee decline the introduction?

• Too busy.
• Believes there is no value to the introducee.
• Perceives the introduction as a “sales call”.
• Does not want to help for a wide range of reasons.

What might an introduction process look like?

• The seeker determines why they are looking for an introduction, the type of introduction, the characteristics of a potential introduce, the potential value to the introducee, and potential introducers.
• The seeker asks a potential introducer to make one introduction. It’s only one, in order to minimize the effort of the introducer.
• The seeker prepares for the introducer, perhaps in an email:
  1. Why seeking an introduction and with whom;
  2. A few sentences about the seeker.
  3. A link to the seeker’s LinkedIn profile.
• The introducer asks one introducee they know if open to an introduction. The information is point 3 above is shared with the introducee.
• The introducer then sends one email to the seeker and introduce, thus allowing them to connect directly with no further effort on the part of the introducer. The introducer should include a sentence or two about the introducee.
• The seeker needs to thank the introducer.

Not every introducer will make an introduction for you.  Not every potential introduce will tell the introducer that it’s ok for an introduction.

Your next steps.

Prepare your own introduction process.

What is the purpose of this article?

Illustrate some of the reasons why trust is critical for transformation success.  This article is appropriate for any size company undergoing major change.

You may download a PDF of this article from: Why is trust critical for transformation success V2

What does successful transformation require?

People within the company and its ecosystem need to change. These changes can include:

• Learning new skills and unlearning old ones;
• Gaining new knowledge and unlearning old knowledge and experience;
• Learning new processes and techniques and unlearning old ones;
• Learning new behaviours and unlearning old behaviours; and
• Potentially new values and culture and dropping old values and culture.

Successful transformation requires individuals to transform themselves.

People may transform themselves when they:

• Believe there is personal value to them and/or to those they care about;
• Understand why the current situation is not viable in the long-term;
• Understand what the future looks like and the path to the future;
• Feel some sense of control over their future;
• Believe the leaders have heard and understand individual concerns;

Why does transformation fail?

• Individuals see no reason to transform because they don’t trust what their leaders are telling them.
• Individuals don’t transform because they emotionally resist being told what to do without understanding.

Going from a slowly-changing business to transformation makes visible:

• All the issues with lack of trust in management; and
• Management’s inability to deal with all the emotional factors of trust and resistance to change.

Your next steps

• Determine the degree to which your employees and others in your companies ecosystem trust and believe what you say.
• Define what changes in you values, moral, ethics, behaviours, and actions are required to improve trust.

Further reading

Society’s trust in corporate leadership and political leadership is low.

https://koorandassociates.org/values-morals-and-ethics/societys-trust-in-corporate-leadership-and-political-leadership-is-low/

What is business transformation? V2

https://koorandassociates.org/business-transformation/what-is-business-transformation/

How do you succeed with transformation? V2

https://koorandassociates.org/business-transformation/how-do-you-succeed-with-transformation/