By / par Jessica Kirby • Photo / © Can Stock Photo / michaeldb
We all talk about it, we all plan for it, we all use it as a reason to write off dinners and hockey games. But do we really know networking as well as we should?
An otherwise ambiguous term, networking in the context of company activities, educational sessions, and conferences is something we acknowledge as part of business, and almost anyone can name at least three benefits of engaging in small talk over a glass of wine and fabulous appetizers. But beyond making new connections, meeting on pressure-free territory, and learning from colleagues, can any one of us pin down a solid definition or technique for networking? What does it mean to network with potential colleagues and clients, and who should initiate these encounters? Should opportunities reflect the networker’s interests and goals or the networkee’s? Most importantly, what value does it bring to business?
The active definition of “networking” as a verb is to interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. But if we back that up to the root of the word, a “network” is an arrangement of intersecting horizontal or vertical lines or a group or system of interconnected people or things. The common theme and essential metaphor here is that in a strong, effective network, connections are clear, strong, and linear—everyone knows who to go to for what and their personal roles in the network. But first, we have to get there.
In an article for recruitment site Monster.ca, author Melanie Joy Douglas says four of the top reasons to network are as follows:
- Six degrees of separation: There are never more than six people between yourself and the person you want to talk to, which means networking can lead to accessing otherwise inaccessible individuals.
- Get a job: Interestingly, 60-80% of jobs are won through some form of networking. That means who you know and who you impress are far more effective than what you write in your bid.
- Broaden your horizons: Sure, you might be successful, busy, and running at maximum capacity at the moment, but we all know construction is cyclical. Networking connects you to the people and ideas that will help you expand, educate, and explore your way to longevity when the market changes.
- Low-risk of false pretenses. When everyone turns up at a networking event for the same reason and in the same frame of mind, it is less likely you’ll get the runaround. Because so many of the connections you make will depend on meeting a friend of a friend, the risk of being led on or hearing the less genuine truth drops significantly.
So how do we do it? Is networking just chitter chatter or is there a skill or technique? According to Forbes magazine, the inside scoop on networking is this: it is 100% essential to professional and personal development and 2. we are doing it all wrong.
Forbes author Bonnie Marcus says the biggest mistake we make is throwing a lot of activity at the idea of networking in person and online, without strategy or direction, and hoping for the best. We attend every event we can and build up a strong online presence with tonnes of followers, but without an ultimate and specific goal or purpose, this type of effort will eventually burn out.
“It takes a village to have a successful career,” Marcus says. “People who provide you with information, connect you to others, help you get your job done, advocate for you, mentor, guide, and sponsor you. And to build this type of network, your networking activity needs to be strategic. To create the type of network that supports your ambition, your efforts must be intentional and purposeful.”
According to Marcus, our biggest mistake is thinking that networking should be self-serving. “When we believe that any attempt to establish relationships is only for our benefit, we are less inclined to pursue these conversations,” she says. A strong network has a solid foundation of mutually beneficial relationships that start with trust and shared investment in both parties’ growth.
Another problem is breeching our comfort zones—we tend to share time and space with those we know and like and while that feels comfortable, it limits our horizons and ability to learn new ideas and strategies. When we do reach out and meet new people, we often forget to follow up or don’t make the effort. Doing so can have worse implications that not networking at all.
Most importantly, we tend to network when we feel like it or when a problem arises, rather than making regular time for this activity. It truly is an investment in our businesses and advancement, and it requires scheduled time, attention, and strategy.
What does strategy look like?
Start with reverse engineering your end goal. Visualize where you want to be in five years and work backwards to determine what you need to do and who you need to know to get there. As you start to build your network, find out what other people are looking for and find ways to exchange value and assistance. How can the relationship serve you both?
Be clear about what value your business provides others. You have to know what you are talking about, how you can contribute to the betterment of your industry, and what you can bring to a mutually beneficial table before you can ask others for help. Be thoughtful and strategic. Rather than running off to every event in a 500 mile radius, think about all of these issues and choose wisely. Prepare short-term, event-focused goals in advance and set out to achieve them.
Build genuine, personal connections. Don’t take over the conversation or go over the top talking about yourself or your business. Ask questions, maintain eye contact, and help people understand you are genuinely interested. That means smiling, being yourself, and most importantly, listening. Acknowledge key points in a conversation by adding what you know and indicating you’ve heard the other person and remember: more often than not, people engage with, pursue, and hire people that they like.
That doesn’t mean the process is 100% organic. Read the attendee list in advance, decide what mutual relationships would best benefit both parties, and take action. Prepare questions or topics to discuss in advance, and remember, strategy is key—it just has to come from a genuine place.
What are the next steps?
Simon Curtis is co-founder and CEO of Curtis & Coulter, a forward-thinking, life science think tank and events organizer that specializes in connecting and engaging the life science community through a series of educational and networking platforms. According to Curtis, conferences offer networking opportunities that are unique from tradeshows and seminars, and they should be treated as such. Networking is one of the top reasons people attend conferences, but the primary goal isn’t necessarily sales.
“Conferences bring together people from all different geographical areas who share a common discipline or field, and they are a great way to meet new people in your field,” Curtis says. “At a conference you will be able to get together with people from a wide range of backgrounds, of whom you may not encounter at your home workplace or institution.”
Why is this a big deal, you ask? Because the neutral platform and open social environment is ripe with opportunities to solve your problems and enhance your business acumen.
“You will hear a lot about things in your field that will be new to you,” Curtis says. “These could be new techniques, new types of equipment, unpublished data, or learn from thought-leaders that you may not have previously heard of.”
Getting on top if this knowledge, taking the opportunity to speak to learn face-to-face how other are dealing with similar issues is the key takeaway from these types of events.
“Conferences give you the opportunity to talk to people one-on-one about what they are working on, and they may even give you advice on how to enhance your own work,” Curtis says. “You have the opportunity to ask presenters questions about their work and the rationale behind it, which you can’t do when reading journal articles.”
That personal, face-to-face interaction may be the key to everyone’s networking experience, which means the way you behave, interact, and share your ideas could change another person’s business or life. Be mindful of your words and actions—say what you mean and mean what you say, and remember, in a strong network, the lines are straight, true, and genuine. ▪