People often confuse networking as a one-time activity that starts when you need something and ends when the goal is reached. Granted, that’s the stereotypical form of networking that might last for a brief moment but leaves no room for a long-term relationship built on exchanging support.
When networking is viewed as sudden spurts of activity such as attending association meetings, calling colleagues and talking about your career goals, it tends to send a perception of being insincere with a self-focused objective.
Networking relationships offer more than help with a job search; they are resources for building expertise and brain storming ideas with those you trust bringing an outside perspective. Networking is a lifelong activity that benefits everyone involved, not only will your work life become more enjoyable it also adds an important quality that all successful leaders share in common – a diverse network of high quality relationships from up and down the company’s hierarchy.
Rob Cross and Robert J. Thomas emphasize the need for networking based on their organizational research with more than 300 companies over the last 15 years helping management teams develop a deeper understanding of formal and informal social networking. Their Harvard Business Review article “Managing Yourself – A Smarter Way to Network” sheds light on the right and wrong ways that employees manage their networks.
One of the areas that people tend to misunderstand when networking is the number of people needed in order to make networking successful. The notion that knowing more people equals a greater chance of career advancement is not true in fact it’s the opposite. Cross and Thomas discovered that core networks typically range in size from 12-18 people, they learned it’s not the number of people you know rather how your networks are structured.
According to Cross and Thomas, “core networks must bridge smaller, diverse kinds of groups that cross hierarchical, organizational, functional and geographic lines”. You core relationships should result in more personal learning, growth and balance.
If you want to revamp your networking activities and make them more effective, consider using their four-step action plan aimed at creating a more diverse group of contacts; analyze, de-layer, diversify and capitalize.
Start by analyzing your network and identifying what you are getting out of the relationship with others.
De-layer your network by making some challenging decisions on where to spend your time and energy.
Diversify by building your network out with the kind of people that can help energize and bring a different perspective to your goals.
Capitalize by using your network wisely by asking for insights from others and exploring ideas. Contemplate the energy you are spending in developing the relationships and what you could offer to make them more effective.
Always keep in mind the golden rule of networking, the more you give to others the more you’ll receive. The four step action plan will no doubt help you develop a broader and richer network of people that if cared for over the years will mutually benefit everyone involved.
How would you describe an effective network?
