Whether
building a business or seeking your
next career opportunity, a challenge
for many people is building their
network. It takes time, and as it
grows, it becomes a tremendous asset.
Of course, the
starting point to building your
contact list is to ask people you
know for the names of people they
know. But not everyone understands
that this a central part of networking--especially
those who don't actively network
in their jobs. This begs the question:
What is Networking?
You have probably
already heard quite a bit about
networking. Indeed, there are many
good books written on the subject.
However, the essence of it is very
simple and does not require hundreds
of pages of explanation.
Networking
is:
+ Sharing knowledge, resources,
and contacts
+ Receiving advice and assistance
from people you know
+ Giving advice and assistance to
people who know you
+ Leveraging your time for increased
productivity
+ Seeking out and building long-term,
prosperous relationships
On the other
hand, networking is NOT:
- Selling something
- Receiving a job
- Seeking monetary compensation,
donations, or funding
- A business transaction
- Manipulating others
Getting back to
the notion of sharing contacts,
this can involve risk. I mean, let’s
face it. What am I really doing
when I give a complete stranger
(or brand new acquaintance) a friend’s
name and tell them to use me as
a reference?
I am putting
my reputation on the line! What
happens if my friend hires this
person, who then turns out to be
unreliable and untrustworthy? How
does that make me look? That can
be a difficult situation to be in.
I have to admit, I have met people
whom I would not want using my name
as a reference when calling upon
a friend, associate or colleague.
And I am generally a pretty trusting
fellow.
While some people
are more trusting than others, this
gets down to what I sometimes call
the "awful truth" about
networking:
Not
everyone you meet is necessarily
going to feel comfortable putting
you in touch with everyone they
know.
Further, you shouldn’t
expect them to. After all, with
a new acquaintance, the two of you
just met. Sure, the contact may
have your resume or other company
information. He might even really
know the person who gave you his
name. Yet still, there is something
missing: a deeper familiarity...an
element of trust...
a relationship.
So, what does
this mean to you? How do you turn
a new contact into a real relationship?
We will explore that question in
more detail next week. However,
to gain a better understanding,
review the points above about what
the process is, and what it isn't.
Ask yourself, "How do I define
networking?"
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