Establishing and Using Your Network

One right and honest definition of business is mutual helpfulness. 

Help thy brother s boat across, and lo Thine own has reached the shore. 

The safety and loss prevention professional can meet others working in the field at such meetings and events. Often safety and loss prevention professionals collect business cards or the names and telephone numbers of the individuals whom they meet through these activities, and dialogs are opened with a simple telephone call or e-mail message. When safety and loss prevention professionals have qnestions or problems, they can often call upon these individuals for assistance or simply a shoulder to cry on, if necessary. 

The safety and loss prevention field is significantly different than most other industrial groups, given the basic responsibilities and objectives. Safety and loss prevention professionals are more willing to share their experiences and expertise than is true of other types of occupations. However, safety and loss prevention professionals cannot receive snch assistance if they do not ask for it. 

Thanks to the growth of compnter technology, safety and loss prevention professionals can hold discnssions with other professionals throughout the world online on the World Wide Web. Web sites (such as those identified in Chapter 12) offer the opportunity for safety and loss prevention professionals to talk online among themselves or in chatrooms with other safety and loss prevention professionals. Also, at most of these Web sites, safety and loss prevention professionals can discuss specific problems they are encountering and acquire new and different ideas that may enhance their safety and loss prevention efforts. 

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