I get by with a little help from my Moms

I spent last week in San Diego at the Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference. It was a thrill!

How does one get such an amazing opportunity? By writing a proposal of course... Only I didn't complete a study or publish a white paper. I didn't have a poster presentation or a product to market. I just sent in a proposal offering to host a morning walking group.

Walking. That's it. Not prayer walking, not walking meditation, not even power walking. I just like to walk and proposed that others would want to as well. It's that point in my career where I have nothing to lose by trying this type of thing. I figured that a conference full of wellness professionals would want to get out, do a little networking, and get some fresh air before a long day of meetings. Sure enough, I got the invite!

I learned more than I can summarize in a blog post from this experience, but believe it or not one of the most important realizations is that I'd be lost without my Moms.

Peg, my mother-in-law, was super supportive of this little walking plan. She shipped a whole box of walking books, DVDs, articles and magazines for me to reference during my morning excursions. One of the best conversation pieces I got was an article she sent about how the design of neighborhoods has changed since 1950 (more car-friendly, less pedestrian friendly). My walkers and I were able to break the ice by chatting about where we were from and how our neighborhoods were laid out to encourage movement or prevent it. Thank you Mama Peg!

Kathy, has been teaching me problem-solving skills for nearly three decades. She saved the day the first night when I arrived and realized the weather report called for rain! I hadn't made a backup plan, but she knew who to go to (the concierge) and where to consider (mall walking). What would I do without her? Thank you Mom!

Fortunately, the rain burned off in time for all three of my walks.

Sure, Zumba and yoga might be fun, but what better way to prevent tired-butt syndrome than 7 a.m. lunges!

This was an interval one of my walkers suggested! Talk about some intense stairs. 

One quick note: I had the chance to talk with Richard Wilkinson, author of The Sprit Level. Dominic and I listened to him present his book at a Town Hall event in Seattle in 2009 and we have admired him ever since. The public has learned a lot about income gaps' effect on societal issues in the past three years. Maybe you'll get a future post devoted to this topic.

San Diego is clean and lovely. Don't let these photos fool you though, it was chilly! I had to get back to New York to experience spring again!

Talk about a nice hotel view

P.S. For all my fellow walking readers, this article series is a fantastic read.

After the event: Professor Zaenger

On Wednesday I was invited to speak to a PR class at Seattle University.

A combination of about 20 sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in everything from business to English listened as I explained how professional networking is a lot like corporate campaign development.

Here were my three steps in program development/professional networking:

1. Planning (Research & organization)

I explained that on a broad level planning means figuring out what industry is most important to you. Tactically, however, research and organization means completing your due diligence. Before a job seeker can even begin sending out cover letters, he or she must find basic company information and contacts and create a progress table listing:

• Companies I want to work at
• Companies I've spoken to (interned, informational interviews)
• Companies I need to speak to
• Companies I've applied at

I recommended creating a 'little black book' of admirable organizations and admirable people. For each entry, the job seeker documents what is known about the company and/or individual- past, present and future.

2. Implementation (Network, informational interview, Twitter, Internship)

I explained that implementation on an individual level lets people know you exist. Job seekers need to have experience- volunteer or paid- to demonstrate to potential employers that you have the capacity to work hard and learn quickly. The best way to find any work opportunity is by Tweeting, interviewing (others) and networking.

An easy first step is by listening through Twitter. Individuals can learn a lot about what industry leaders are saying and considering just by following the links that people post. There are helpful discussions like #hcsm and #journchat for professionals who want to connect with others in a particular area of interest. Once you find the professionals, attend a local Tweetup to meet face-to-face.

Informational interviews are the most valuable face-to-face time you can spend with professionals. Divide your 30-minutes (no more than that) into three areas: asking about the professional's background, asking about the company they work for, and asking about the industry as a whole. Always inquire about how you should be preparing for your career today.

Join local associations or social networks (like Biznik) and attend events. To me, this is 'invested networking' because you learn from a presentor and get to mingle with professionals interested in the same topics you are.

3. Evaluation (Follow up. Forever.)

I explained that following up doesn't mean just one thank you a day later, but rather relationship development on a quarterly basis. Follow your contact's business in the media and congratulate him/her when something good happens, subscribe to their corporate newsletter and then comment, recognize holidays, events and occasions. At the very least send contacts a status report on your search.

As it turns out, I love teaching adults. The class was a blast and I learned a lot from the experience. I may not be a networking expert, but I was happy to share the tactics I use.