Expanding Your Network

Hi, I’m David Timis and my mission in life is to prepare people for the future of work.?

In this week’s edition of the newsletter the theme revolves around networking, one of the taboo words in the business world, given the amount of times it’s been misunderstood. Some see it as a zero-sum game, others dread even ‘playing’ it, but the truth of the matter is that we should all learn how to network, and more importantly, why is networking crucial for our personal and professional growth. Below are some insights and thoughts that will help you ‘unpack’ networking, see it for what it is at a fundamental level, and learn new ways of building meaningful connections with people in and outside your industry.?

Timeless Insight

“The value of networking is not measured by the number of people we meet but by the number of people we introduce to others.” — Simon Sinek?

I am an avid networker and I have been so ever since I can remember. The reasons are simple, I am infinitely curious and get energised by connecting with people and building meaningful relationships with them. Early on in my ‘networker journey’ I came across this quote from British-American author and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek (made famous by a TED Talk called “How great leaders inspire action ”), which completely changed my approach to networking. I went from looking at networking as a beneficial tool for career advancement, which is a short-term approach that focused on satisfying my immediate goals at the time as an early grad (i.e., getting a job), to looking at networking as an opportunity to give back, to help others by introducing them to new ideas and people. Without having this long-term, selfless approach to networking, one misses the real value that it can bring.

Food for Thought?

Many professionals have narrow networks, which usually consist of alma mater alumni groups, colleagues from work, or people working in the same field or industry as them. You may have a few outliers in the group, but the vast majority of people you know probably fit in one of the categories mentioned above. However, as this Harvard Business Review article highlights, having a narrow network can put you at serious professional risk:

• You limit your options in case of a career change, or a downturn in your company, industry or in the economy;?
• You’re more prone to group-think if you’re not exposed to diverse perspectives and points of view.???

So, here’s what you can do to diversify your network:?

1. Take an inventory of your current network - do a quick scan to evaluate the professional diversity of your network by looking at who are the 5-10 people you spend the most time with, noting whether they’re inside or outside your company and/or industry. If 90% of your closest contacts have the same profession as you, you might want to think about how to diversify your network, since your existing circle is dangerously small.?

2. Put networking on your schedule - take a decision to make networking a deliberate part of your weekly routine. Commit yourself to meeting each week with new people outside the company you work for or outside your industry. Perhaps you don’t like attending networking events, but there’s always the option of grabbing a coffee with someone or going out for lunch (see Never Eat Alone ), so there’s no excuse not to expand your network.?

3. Ask for recommendations - most professionals have narrow networks, so ask the outliers in your circle to recommend people they think you should meet. Or, if meeting people like this would make you feel uncomfortable, since you might not know what to talk about (e.g., imagine meeting a quantum physicist, how would you start the conversation?), then host a dinner at your place, and ask the outliers in your network to invite their friends.??

4. Don’t look for immediate returns - it’s vital to remember the lesson we learned about networking from Simon Sinek, which is that networking's importance doesn't rest on the professional or monetary benefits you get out of the relationships you build over the years. The real value of networking is determined by the number of people you help. Therefore, the more diverse your network is, the more people you can help in the long-term.

Article of the Week?

We’re Losing Touch with Our Networks

Caricature of the Week

Source: Condé Nast

Thank you for reading and keep on growing!

David

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