Networking: More Than Drinks and a Spring Roll
by Jane Lucken (London)
Many of my female colleagues have said they hate networking. What is it about networking that provokes such a visceral reaction? What exactly do we mean by networking? The image that springs to mind is awkward conversations with a glass of white wine in one hand and miniature spring roll in the other.
But love it or hate it, networking is a critical driver for career success and gains importance as you make your way up the corporate ladder.
Early in our careers, we are learning our trade. Success generally relies on the delivery of a timely and effective piece of work. As the years go by, we see that the individuals who progress fastest are skilled at gaining support and recognition for their ideas over and above those of their contemporaries. Any salesperson will tell you that selling a new service to an existing client is far easier than acquiring a new client. The same goes for selling your ideas, or simply selling yourself. If you have a prior relationship, the pitch has a greater chance of success.
Gwen Rhys of Networking Culture Ltd. and an expert on helping people and organizations to network more effectively explains, “It’s not just about who you know but who knows you, so maintaining a strong profile is important. Networking is the process of nurturing, building and leveraging relationships in order to maximize opportunities for yourself and others. I find that men will quickly leverage the connections they have with others whereas women tend to avoid leveraging a relationship until it is better established. This difference often results in men getting what they want more quickly than their female counterparts.”
Because of the competing demands many women face, they often have fewer hours during their workday than their male counterparts. As a result, women ought be much more focused in their networking. Ask yourself who matters most to the success of your career? Who is the ‘maven’ who will get your message out to the widest group of people? Whose opinion is most respected in the organization? Target those individuals.
A successful executive at Microsoft once told me he has a two minute elevator pitch about his achievements that he makes sure he delivers whenever he comes across a senior manager. As Jo Haigh, author of Tales from the Glass Ceiling says, “Think of it as informing rather than boasting. If you don’t tell people, who else will?” Of course relationship building isn’t all one way, so have a few simple questions in your head to open the dialogue, however lightweight. It’s worth investing time in your busy day to making and maintaining contacts inside your organization, thereby gaining the trust of current or future decision makers.
Back to those spring rolls, formal events are useful for building a set of contacts that will help you when you are looking for good suppliers or potential business partners. Perhaps when they come into their own, you will find your next role with them. If you can, go alone to these types of events, so you don’t run the risk of spending the entire evening socializing with a colleague. Jo Haigh’s book recommends that you set targets to meet a certain number of people. If you exchange cards then follow up the next day with a brief email or arrange a coffee. And if you are stuck for something to say, you will be warmly welcomed if you offer a smile and a simple ‘I don’t know anyone here. May I join you?’
Every contact can be important to you. Most people are pleased to be asked for help so call in the favors when you need them. Maintain the contacts you make at these events throughout your career with purpose built networking tools such as LinkedIn and Plaxo. These sites ensure that you can keep track of your contacts, even when they move organization and email address.
Formal networking events are useful but informal networking in-house can have a greater impact on your career. Many networking opportunities are unplanned. The wise networker prepares in advance to take advantage of chance encounters.
Jo Haigh’s book, Tales from the Glass Ceiling: A Survival Guide for Women in Business is available online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
