Networking

The word – “networking” makes many people confused as many see it as a business activity to serve oneself and we need to act in a different way. Many view it as insincere at best, manipulative at worst. In fact, networking is supposed to be genuine and friendly.

Reid Hoffman, the guru of networking and also the co-founder of LinkedIn, said that building a genuine relationship with another person depends on at least two abilities. The first is seeing the world from another person’s perspective; the second ability is being able to think about how you can collaborate with and help the other person rather than thinking about what you can get.

These two abilities are the foundations to get the best out of networking. Networking is about making connections and building mutually beneficial, enduring relationships. At the end of the day, it is not just about who you know, but more importantly who knows you.

10 tips on Networking

1. Have a plan – know what you want to achieve after the networking sessionSet a goal and be prepared in any networking session. Are you going to look for job opportunities, project funding or a co-founder?

2. Be clear about what you doTell a story about yourself in 60s. Include your most up-to-date works and what you are looking for.

3. It’s far more important to understand their needs before you tell them about your needsPeople are selfish. We always care about ourselves first. So, show interest to other’s needs and they will do the same.

4. You don’t need to know the most people, just the right peopleMore is not always the better. It is more meaningful to connect with five people who can actually help you rather than getting 50 business cards without much interaction.

5. Start by offering praise, not requesting helpEveryone loves to be praised – but do it genuinely. Get to know each other more before start requesting for help.

6. Remember namesA person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language– Dale Cargenie.

7. Ask open-ended questionsAn open-ended question requires an answer greater than a single word or two. A closed-ended question can be answered with a simple “Yes,” “No,” or other very simple answer.
Perhaps the most famous (or infamous) open-ended question is “How does this make you feel?”

8. Be a connecter – Try to provide as much value as you possibly can – networking is about helping others tooDon’t hesitate to share your network or connect two persons you know personally – if they could be a great partner in business or building new friendships. Yes, networking is about helping each other.

9. Don’t worry about rejection. It’s OK to get a No
You’ll meet people who can’t or don’t want to help you. That’s the reality of life. Just don’t take it too seriously. Move on.

10. Follow upRelationships are living, breathing things. Feed, nurture, and care about them; they grow. Neglect them; they die. You might be nodding your head at the importance of staying in touch. Send a follow up email or a thank you note after your encounter