More on purposeful networking

I’ve started a new lunch-and-learn series, the second of which is about purposeful networking. This based primarily on my previous posts on this topic, incorporating some new ideas based on reading and reviewing my own networking approach. So far, around 100 people have attended and participated in these lunch-and-learn sessions, and the feedback has been positive. My objective is to enable others to establish for themselves a purposeful network as a lifelong resource for their career and professional development.

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Some additional elements of purposeful networking:

• You don’t have to put on a show, but you do have to show up. Active (and successful) networking requires a personal commitment and a little bit of bravery to engage with others and make meaningful connections. This doesn’t require an extroversion transplant, just showing up at events and being present in your interactions with others.
• The give-and-take of a network is not always going to be obvious, and things may not be in balance at all times. Don’t keep score of your interactions with others, just engage in real and meaningful ways, and trust in the interconnectedness (the “karma” if you like) of your network.

At the end of each session, I ask if there are any questions. Here are a few that stuck with me:

If you had to choose between LinkedIn and Twitter for online or virtual networking, which would it be?
 
Without hesitation or reservation, LinkedIn. Its purpose is professional networking, and it provides lots of opportunities for this, including the much-underused Recommendations. Use these to get real, live, references, and to give recognition to the stars in your network. By comparison, Twitter is too open and not at all focused – it’s a great place to get ideas and keep up to date on things but comes with too many caveats to be safe or reliable.
 
Some ways to use LinkedIn effectively include:

• 2nd level connections – people that are connected to someone that you’re connected to. These linkages can provide potential opportunities for expanding your network.
• Post a question, share an article, or comment on another’s post. This is a great way to keep your network active by showing your interests and contributing to conversations.
• Depending on your settings, you can see when someone views your profiled. Guess what? They can see when you view theirs. If someone views your profile, don’t pounce on them – if they have a question, they will message you. Don’t stalk people – repeatedly viewing someone’s profile in the hope of getting noticed is a sure-fire way to get blocked by them.

 
Business cards – necessary or not?
 
This depends a lot on your business and industry, as well as the culture of those you’re interacting with. In my own world, I rarely use them. I have stacks of them from jobs past and present, and when I’m presented with one from someone else, it almost always ends up in the bin. Your contact information, along with most other people in the work world, is available online in a variety of places, often more up-to-date than a printed business card. Unless it is a requirement in your field or culture, save some trees and skip the cards.

Small talk – easy to say, hard to do
 
There are lots of articles online about questions to ask to make small talk (here and here), and the book Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty includes lots of tips on this topic. The main thing is to be polite and respectful. You can try being a “social detective” – ask purposeful questions to get to know someone, pay attention and show them you are interested by actively listening.
 
For beginners, ice breaker questions might include:

• What do you do? Where do you do that? How long have you been doing that?
• What did you do before that?
• What brings you here?

 
More advanced ice breakers:

• What are you looking forward to (at this event)?
• What is exciting right now in your work?
• What are you most looking forward to at this event/in the next while?
• What are your goals for this event?

 
You need to be prepared to answer any question that you ask, so plan ahead what you’ll say to any of these. Don’t get too personal – stick to business. And don’t monopolize anyone – remember your goals for the event: meet, connect, move on.
 
Not everyone has the opportunity to attend conferences. What other events might work for networking?
 
Any gathering of people that you might share a common work or business interest with is a good place to network. There are lots of informal local groups around social, technology, science, arts, current events, and other topics that can be a good place for networking. Even within your organization – at a staff meeting, sit beside someone you don’t know, introduce yourself, and build up your network (and theirs).

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Remember: purposeful networks are real, meaningful, mutually beneficial, and sustained. Good luck building your network!
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