Unveiling eight indispensable competencies for the new Network-Oriented Workforce, Strategic Connections provides practical advice anyone can use for building better, more productive business relationships.

Smartphones, social media, and the Internet can only get a professional so far. At some point, the success of an organization will depend on face-to-face relationships, which means the isolated employees trying to do everything virtually will at some point have to fall back on the tried-and-true, essential skill of relationship building if they are going to survive in today's increasingly collaborative workforce.

You will discover how to:

• Commit to a positive, proactive networking mindset
• Earn trust
• Boost their social acumen and increase their likeability
• Master conversational skills and deepen interactions
• Employ storytelling to make communications memorable

Businesses don't have to look very far to find employees with a strong presence in the different social networks. If you want to stand out and make yourself invaluable to your organization, focus on making your presence known in the company's physical networks.