Building an Effective Network - it's easy!

I can already hear the sighs of disbelief and the rolling of eyes - easy, you say? Yeah right!

Discuss networking or building a network with most people, especially in a professional environment, and consensus feedback usually encompasses the following:

1. I don't know how to go about it

2. I'm not comfortable doing it

3. Who should I network with?

4. It's difficult

And so on....

Whenever I run internal sessions at Deutsche Bank on 'How to Build an Effective Network', these are just a few of the tips I share:

1. EYES UP 

How many of us walk around with our eyes (seemingly) permanently glued to our smart phone? These devices are not surgically attached to our palms! We look like zombies, heads down, shoulders hunched and therefore, miss opportunities to make eye contact. So, when you're in the lift, when you're waiting at the lift lobby, when you're in the staff pantry grabbing a cup of coffee/water, look up! Inevitably, you see the same people regularly. Make eye contact, smile, say 'good morning', ask a question, offer a compliment. Keep doing it and each time, your conversations will have a continuous thread that will help you build this new connection. And once something becomes a habit, you will do it without even thinking!

2. SIT NEXT TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW

We attend 'Town Halls' (global bank speak for a staff assembly basically), internal product updates, market strategy meetings, industry conferences, etc and what do most of us do? We enter the room and make a beeline for the person/s we already know. Now, there's nothing wrong with saying 'hello' to people you already know but DO MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT to sit next to someone you don't know, from time to time. And don't forget to say hello and introduce yourself.

3. DO SOMETHING YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT/INTERESTED IN

I've attended many a 'pure networking' session during my career and yes, have found them to be 'not very enjoyable and hard work'. Why? I had only one objective and that was to meet lots of new people. Some of them whom I actually had no interest in maintaining a connection with because we didn't have anything in common. So, I advocate working out what you love doing - it could be related to sports, community service, charity work, coaching, mentoring, singing, whatever rocks your boat - and join a team/organization that focuses on these. You arrive at this team already knowing that you have something in common.

4. INDUSTRY CONFERENCES - PREP AHEAD OF TIME

If your primary reason for attending an industry conference is to 'network', then do your homework ahead of time. Information on keynote speakers, their bios and delegation lists are almost, always, available. Review the speaker and delegation lists and work out who you need to meet. Make an achievable list - let's face it, you're hardly likely to make a decent connection with 400 people, let alone 200. The registration period and session breaks are usually the best times to network. Some speakers don't stick around but some do. Try and catch them as they get off the stage and be ready with 2-3 open-ended questions, ideally, related to the topic to which they presented.  

5. FOLLOW-UP / KEEP IN TOUCH

And the most important point: follow-up and keep in-touch (frequency will depend on many factors that will require another blog!). All the tips above will be for naught, otherwise. Exchange contact details, arrange a coffee/quick chat/drinks after work - you get the picture.

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Now, we're all human and there will be days when we just won't feel 'at the top our game' and when creating new connections with people will feel like hard work. It's okay. On these days, we can be forgiven for preferring to stare into our smartphones.