It is funny. Most of the time I head to the bookstore and look at the new releases and see if there is something to pick up and take a quick look over a cup of coffee and buy the one that hits me the most and add it to my library. I had heard of “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi from many people over the last few years and it got alot of buzz when it was released in 2005 but I never really got around to reading it. The title alone summed up what I did most of the time, network like crazy and use things like lunch as an opportunity to network.
I had always been meaning to read this book but I finally had an opportunity to sit down and really go through it to see if his advice is either timeless or fadish since four years have passed.
There are three primary themes in this book: Networking like crazy, be sincere, and pay it forward.
I found Keith to be a bit of an “in your face” writer but I like that and since he is from outside of Pittsburgh and I am from Baltimore I can relate to the” work hard but network even harder” philosophy. The ego is a bit ever present and he doesn’t have to mention repeatedly that he went to Harvard Business School. We get it, you are smart. However, he likes to point out his own mistakes so that we learn from them and that is a sign of a good leader. The only caveat in the book is that he makes it look like the only thing you should all day is making phone calls, sending e-mails, and throwing dinner parties. I know that may sound bit extreme but I believe there is a balance in the activity of networking because once you have to maintain the network you build in order for it to produce something worthwhile.
His primary argument with hyper-Rolodex people is that “they collect but don’t connect”. He goes one to point out with many examples from his youth and on through his career that the best way to become successful is to help make everyone around you successful is the most important in the whole book.
The other important element is to stay in contact and keep the network alive with reaching out occasionally to them, at the very least on their birthday, and the three ways to impact them that will make you an important contact – personal health, wealth and the benefit of children.
SMART WORKING VERDICT: BUY THIS BOOK AND KEEP IT IN YOUR LIBRARY
This is book is one that you must have in your library and should be reread once a year to make sure you are sticking to the advice. His argument that the best way to become successful is to help make everyone around you successful is the most important in the whole book. Ferrazi is quoted as saying “Connecting is a philosophy of life, a world view. Its guiding principle is that people, all people, every person you meet, is an opportunity to help and to be helped.” He goes on to say “Flat out, people do business with people they know and like.”
I would also check out this awesome review that breaks down the chapters into paragraph reviews so you can get a sense if this book is for you.
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