Networking 101

Problem

"When most people hear the word 'networking,' they inwardly groan (myself included!). For most of us, intentional networking can feel awkward. It raises our level of anxiety."

Actions taken

"The way a lot of people approach networking is to get an ROI for themselves. It's about what they need and what their goals are. Because of my role at ITA, I've spent time researching networking and identifying what 'doing it right' means. Here are three things I've implemented over the past year to help build my network (no groans or twitches required):"

• Changed my mindset to focus on what I can do for others.
• Let go of my fear of "sounding dumb."
• Follow up on every interaction.

Lessons learned

"Focusing on others instead of my own agenda make the conversation genuine. This change in perception has made it so much easier to make real connections and start the process of building a meaningful network."

"If I don't know a certain role or industry, I've made a focused effort over the past year to use those opportunities to ask more in-depth questions. This approach serves two essential purposes. One, it gets my new connection talking about himself and his area of expertise or passion, which makes him feel appreciated and heard. Two, I've just learned something new that I can parlay into a future conversation and have become more valuable to my current (and future) network."

"In follow up, I try to provide something of value to the other person – an article I think they might find interesting, a company they should learn about, etc. In addition to my follow-ups being an extension of the 'focus on others' principle, they also force me to remember people's names...a must for successful networking!"

Source: Exec Spin: Networking 101

Key quotes:

• "When most people hear the word 'networking,' they inwardly groan (myself included!)."
• "Focusing on others instead of my own agenda make the conversation genuine."