BY JOANNE CLEAVER
Special to the Tribune

Networking has become a popular buzzword in the business world but many professionals are sadly lacking in the skills to pull it off, says Roz Usheroff, a communications and image consultant and the head of the Usheroff Institute. While how to make small talk, introduce yourself, or behave at a business luncheon may seem like rather mundane subjects, personal coaching has become a necessity for many executives, she says. "Corporations are being asked to entertain and be masterful in the art of small talk and a lot of people, particularly technical people, are not comfortable socializing. Companies are so driven, so competitive, a lot of people don't see this as necessary but a lot of companies want this from their employees. They can't get enough of it." Companies like Great West Life, Bayer Corp., the Bank of Montreal, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce have come to Ms. Usheroff for one-on-one counselling sessions or group seminars. "A lot of it is the result of business casual, people are becoming so relaxed that they're taking a backseat as far as their attitude towards protocol." Ms. Usheroff says her most popular program is one which guides clients in appropriate social skills needed to represent the company at a cocktail party, trade show, or convention. "Accountants and lawyers for the first time are being asked to go out and generate business, so they've got to fine tune their social skills. Nothing develops relationships quicker than getting clients away from their office. People change, their whole personality changes," she says. "It's really about entertaining the client base, about building relationships with clients to improve their value to the organization." Social skills are becoming important as more people work in teams and on contracts where success depends on their ability to form relationships. 'The people who just come to work and leave and don't nurture any relationships, they're the ones, who are left behind. We can't just keep our heads down and do our jobs anymore. It's really selling yourself as a commodity. You have to be networked with the right people in the organization. You need to understand that you are really selling yourself first. Think of yourself as your own company and you're a product of your own company. What do you need to do so that your services are required? Part of it is your expertise but part of it is how you interact with others."