The Art of the Favor: The Connection between Networking and Personal Influence within a College.

This article discusses various strategies for utilizing favors as a means for developing a personal powerbase and influencing individuals within a college setting. Building a personal network of influence centers upon effectively utilizing various strategies including; learning how to control budget, how to empower others, when to compromise and be a team player, importance of sharing success, and knowing when to call in favors. The author demonstrates that through use of personal favors an individual create a network of individuals who be counted on for favors in turn. In end, favors translate into individual obligations and future opportunities for reciprocity. Favors Building favors is essential to creating a network of individuals that be counted on for favors in turn. Favors translate into future obligations. There are several ways to build these favors. Primary among these include strategic use of budgetary funds and empowering of people and their ideas. Budget The effective use of a budget is one of important ways to grant favors. When individuals control budget, they are in position to control resources that provide key individuals with what they need and want. These range from small practical everyday office or personal items to larger program building equipment. The budget provide both practical and grand. The key is knowing when, to whom, and where to distribute funds. Empower Others Successfully building favors also rests on idea of learning how to empower co-workers and colleagues. This is best accomplished by establishing reputation of being an individual who believes in others' ideas. As such an individual it is important to to try to bring these ideas to reality. Attempts to so be through either formal bureaucratic system or through networking with other individuals. Advocating for others and their ideas means being willing to speak up on their behalf. Attitude is crucial here. It is good to be seen as person who is willing to take risks and one who is willing to move forward new ideas of others. The difference between saying, let's see if we find a way to make this happen, if not now then sometime down road for sure or saying I don't know if this will work is immeasurable. Being seen as can do person is a major asset. Even if answer is eventually no, effort will still be perceived as noble. Speaking on behalf of others also means that at certain times an individual must be willing to fight for underdog. This prove to be very beneficial to one's career. Backing long shot instantly bestows on individual mark of a champion of people. Sometimes a cause manifests itself in fight for the instead of for a specific individual. Others are quick to praise colleagues who are willing to fight for ideal. They understand that principle is worth preserving because they may need it one day for their own cause. Believing in ideas of others or fighting for greater cause at times mean taking an unpopular stance. Doing so occasionally will actually to benefit of individual taking stance. That person will be viewed as someone who is not a lackey of administration and someone who upholds standards even in difficult times. All of these strategies portray individual as an advocate for others and their ideas. Advocates are popular, admired, and powerful people who inspire loyalty in others. Loyalty is very important. Loyalty begets loyalty and in turn generates favors and protection. Since perception is key, it is important to be seen as a selfless individual. Rule one in this strategy is to never advocate for oneself. As stated, it is better to advocate for others and for popular causes instead. Helping others who face same problems will reap benefits for all, including individual. …