By Angela Charlton, PhD
Manager of Player Engagement
“There is still a lot of power in your brand but you’re going to have to work for those connections.” ~ Tony Stewart, 9-year NFL veteran
Tony Stewart has certainly done a great job using his connections. Among other things, he is currently an NFL Ambassador. As an NFL Ambassador, he provides advice and counsel on NFL Player Engagement initiatives and assists in the delivery of various programs including delivering life skills presentations to high school and collegiate football student-athletes, particularly on topics related to education and health & safety. Tony also participated in the 2012 Rookie Symposium, sharing with the rookies his knowledge, experience, and expertise on how to be successful both on and off-the-field.
When it comes to networking, Tony offers the following tips and suggests you ask yourself the following questions:
Am I connected?
I played my last snap in the NFL. Can I still build powerful connections?
For most of us in the NFL “Next” phase, people are no longer blowing up our cell phones and asking us to be the headliner for the next big event or project. It can be a tough adjustment. Doors don’t magically open liked they used to. You have to push them open. So how does one make connections in a corporate world that has forgotten I played for the Eagles, Bengals, etc.? There is still a lot of power in your brand but you’re going to have to work for those connections.
Expand Your Network
Start with figuring out what type of connections would benefit your business, non-profit, or job search. From there, reach out to your former teammates, coaches, and NFL clubs. They are the ones who know you personally and may have powerful resources that can get you connected. Next, get in contact with your university’s alumni network. Most alumni are scattered all over the country and love helping former NFL players from their alma mater. Lastly, get out into the community and serve at different events. Some of the best places to connect with people are celebrity golf tournaments and other current/former player functions. An under-utilized resource is the chamber of commerce, rotary and other social club events. These are places where business people do a lot of their networking.
Manage Your Contacts
It is always good to have a business card when interacting with new potential connections, but it is even more important to ask and get business cards from them since most people lose or misplace them. This way you can take control of starting the communication. When you receive a business card, take time to write a little note about the discussion you had with that person so that you can be more personable within your correspondence. Online services like Google Voice are good tools where you can create a new phone number and have it forwarded to your current cell phone or landline. This service also stores voice, text, and email messages.
Keep these things in mind and you will be well on your way to making those powerful connections that can help further you goals in the “Next” season of your life.