Fort Worth Magazine Feature

The Power of Who
Executive Recruiter Bob Beaudine changes the rules of traditional networking and emphasizes that the key to landing your dream job is not reaching out to strangers, but to ask help from your closest friends.

As a result of the economic crisis, the number of unemployed persons increased from 851,000 to 12.5 million in February. Therefore, the introduction of The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know by Bob Beaudine (Center Street, Hachette Book Group) could not have hit bookstores at a more appropriate time. Published in January, Beaudine delivers an inspirational, common sense approach to landing your dream job. The writing is straightforward and conversational with plenty of anecdotes, case studies and quotes. President and CEO of Eastman & Beaudine and recognized as the top sports/ entertainment search executive in the U.S. conventional wisdom about networking on its head. His innovative approach is two-fold: establish your “Who” and declare what you want out of life.

First things first. Identify the people within your group of friends and friends of friends who are the foundation for making connections. This group is your “Who.” Beaudine changes the rules of traditional networking by advising readers to reach out to their “Who” instead of pursuing complete strangers for job placement. “It’s really not the best use of time and energy to start sending e-mails out to people you don’t know or having lunches with strangers,” he says. “You already know someone right now who knows the person who will help you achieve your goal or hire you or introduce you to the person you need to meet.” On the topic of declaring your “Who,” Beaudine says: “We need to be doing life with our friends."

So start investing some time in your “Who,” reconnect with your “Who,” build your “Who,” nurture your “Who,” because in the end … it’s all about the “Who!” Take, for example, Denny Crane and Alan Shore on the popular TV series “Boston Legal.” Denny, played by William Shatner, and Alan, played by James Spader, have a precious relationship—almost a romance. They are best friends who cannot fathom living life without the other. Their friendship represents the relationship you should have with your “Who.” The second part of the Beaudine plan is to declare what competent and talented individuals are working too hard in unsatisfying careers because they dropped out of the process of discovering what they want to do and whom they want to do it with. And don’t forget to ask for help. You might be a genius in some area of your life, he says, but you’re going to need your “Who” to assist you where you’re not strong. Even Frank Sinatra needed help. The song “My Way,” made popular by Ol’ Blue Eyes, glorifies the philosophy of going it alone. But, in fact, Sinatra didn’t do it his way. Paul Anka wrote that song. There was also an arranger, an orchestra, a recording studio, a sound engineer and a record company. It was a collaborative effort. In the words of Beaudine, “If you’re lost in a jungle trying to do it your way … STOP!”

Books can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores,or online at www.powerofwho.com.