The reason I get these questions is because most people are told that if they are not networking these days they are not doing the X-factor that would grant them career success (whether that is in getting a deal or finding a job).
For me networking in the digital world started 7 years ago as part of my job. I was part of the Knowledge Management team at my first job post my MBA and my boss told me that we should be doing something to brand our organization's work in the KM area.
I had just become aware of email based virtual communities on egroups.com (since then acquired by yahoo to form Yahoogroups.com ) and I ended up creating the KMSI egroup. Then I created the HRGyan egroup to share HR related knowledge with fellow professionals in India.
From egroups I moved to web based communities like Howard Rheingold's Brainstorms community, which I am no longer a member of, but plan to go back again after some time. My areas of interest were developing into how virtual communities and Communities of Practice interact to share knowledge and improve productivity. So while I was enagaged in the content of these communities, I was even more involved in the processes of interaction behind them. I learnt the pros and cons of virtual communities and became a community junkie for some time. I still retain memberships of Ryze, Linkedin and Orkut whereas my profiles on hi5, MySpace are languishing :-)
So coming back to the point on which I began this post, what works for me in networking, specially virtually? Here are my top 10 learnings over the last 7 years:
- Always look to help people out who come to you for any issue
- If you cannot it then redirect them to someone who can.
- To be able to do #2 you should know people at a personal level to engage with.
- Move the relationship to phone or offline level to take it to the next level
- Ignore personal attacks. It can get tempting to react, but does not do any good for anybody.
- Keep your contacts "warm". Let them know what's happening in your life.
- Except for very close realtionships most relationships have a "what's in it for me" attitude. Meet that question and make it clear.
- If you need any help, broadcast. You never know from where help can come.
- Blog.
- Comment on others blogs.
Nice, simple, and practical advice for sharpening one's networking prowess.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just followed your tip #10 :-D
Blog at desihub.com too. Let me know what you think of desihub!
ReplyDelete-Bala
11. Initiative : initiate a conversation
ReplyDelete12. Create(or be part of) some kind of social hub, be it alumni, social service, anything that you like.
Good Practical advice Gautam.
ReplyDeleteJust to add to it
a)Read this book , "Never Eat Lunch Alone" for great tips on this area from Keith Ferrazi.
b)Actually follow the advice and do try to follow this percept of "never eat lunch alone". Lunch dinner at workplace is a great way to meet friends, colleagues from other functions,departments
c) Share. Your knowledge, your expertise & your network with others. Sharing doesn't consume it rather enhances your network's strength. However use your judgement on who you connect whom with, just like you would consider setting up a date for a friend
d) Be yourself. Don't pretend yourself to be something else for the sake of networking. Trust/Credibility is your most valuable capital
e)Flex yourself. This might sound contradictory of my previous point of "be yourself". But is not. Flex means that different people have different personality types and whether you are in a role where have to lead a team of diverse profile or deal with different type of customers, it is a good idea to flex yourself in the way you deal with people. More on this in some blog.
And finally it is not everybody's personality type to "Connect". Some people are connectors and others will love to remain private.
Do not burden yourself with this fad of networking if this is not your personality type. Maybe you are a researcher who would rather remain behing your financial model then be the best in it and let the networkers of the world do the networking for a friend.
Have couple of good friends like Gautam and you will be all set
On a lighter Note: Atul's last comment sounds the best and easiest to adopt.:-)
ReplyDeletedoes 'send them forwards day in & day out, if you are not able to send them regular email' count?
ReplyDelete;)
This is a great post, Gautam, and I think you bring up some often over-looked points. The key that you brought up in another post is that networking isn't about you. That's the foundation. Give in order to receive.
ReplyDeleteI said in a past post on the topic last year:
"The most valuble networking (the old fashioned way - between people) comes from authentically giving people value and making a human connection. It's about forming "1/2 friendships" that have a probability of becoming 3/4 or perhaps someday full friendships. Networking ≠ "working on the net" to make connections with people. It's not the same thing, and the level of value creation isn't the same, nor do I think it ever will be." ...
"That's not to say that Jobster, H3, LinkedIn or other technology extensions can't create value...they can and they serve a purpose: they are a means to a predefined end. Filling a job. Extending a campaign. Capturing lists of people as a target market. They are 'reach extension tools' but they don't perpetuate true networking, because high-value, relationship driven networking between people can't be filtered. Once filtered, it becomes diluted, and I submit that dilution limits value creation. Old fashioned networking is a means to an undefined end: the probability that unknown value will be created in the future."
Great blog. I really enjoy reading. And when I get to India you can bet that I'll be meeting up with you. We can have lunch at Google together. :-)
My whole post on networking is here:
http://meritocracy.typepad.com/meritocracy/2006/10/networking_net_.html
Jason Warner
http://www.penelopetrunk.com
http://www.meritocracy.net