Consider Columbo

With the death this past week of Peter Falk, one of his obituaries read like a primer on networking.

Best known as Columbo, Mr. Falk was eulogized by Associate Press Writer Frazier Moore.  In his story Mr. Moore points out not just the usual “born-lived-died” facts, but he talks about the essence of the characters and types of performances Mr. Falk created and lived on screen and stage.

To paraphrase Mr. Moore, in most situations Columbo was underestimated, patronized or simply overlooked.

Now, as networkers can’t we all relate to that? Columbo always prevailed even after navigating such rude and unforgiving waters. We have all been in those situations: someone we thought we had engaged at an event is just not giving us the time of day.  He or she is judging us by our outward appearance (“the smudge on the tie,” as Mr. Moore says).  Then, just when they are about to walk away, we say something (“Ah, there is just one more thing,….”) and we catch the edge of their attention.

It is a lesson of persistence and patience, things the fictional detective as well as the actor who portrayed him excelled at.  Told early in his career that “for the same price (a casting director) could have an actor with two good eyes,” Mr. Falk continued seeking auditions anyway (he had lost an eye to cancer as a child).

Thanks, Peter Falk for your entertaining and engaging characters and performances, but also for your lifelong networking lesson: patience, persistence and thinking about the end result will always win out.

Relentless