How to build a business network that lasts

When was the first time you heard the word 'networking' and how it is super important in your career? Unless you are an electronics engineer like me, you probably didn't care much about networking until you graduated. Until then, we were told that acing exams, understanding concepts, & thinking critically were all the weapons we needed to succeed. Once we graduated and entered work life, we were handed over a whole new script for success in life: 'Kiddo, unless you learn networking in business, all the other things would only get you so far!'

A lot of us, however, had been unconsciously 'networking' even as kids, teenagers, & college students. That time you reached out to your hostel senior for tips on 'How to ace (or grace) exams in one night's preparation' was you building a network to help you survive college work. After all, humans are but social animals, and we all benefit from the social networks we build and nurture. However, many of us still struggle to understand how to effectively create a network in business.

Here are 2 of my most important learnings from years of finding my feet in the world of business networking:

1. Give back, with no strings attached:

The first and the most important lesson I learnt about creating a strong network in business, is to learn to give back selflessly and unconditionally. This lesson I learnt during my time in London Business School, where I was in awe in the way the alumni community engaged with students and were ready to provide their time, their expertise and their knowledge with no expectation in return. I was introduced to the concept of a 'coffee chat', where you could ask any alumnus (or a senior student for that matter), some time to meet you for a coffee chat and guide you about something as specific as an interview in a firm they were working in, or as broad as figuring out what on earth you want to do in life after college! I tried to redeem this 'coffee gift coupon' atleast 50 times in my stint there, and I got responses 90% of the time! I was also fairly confident that the times I did not get a response was because the alumnus/alumna didn't read my email. The selflessness with which the alumni provided their time to their juniors, built in me a deep sense of responsibility to always be available for people in my community (in this case my alma mater), but even beyond. Each conversation I had with a patient alumnus when I was a young, clueless student built in me the confidence to face the professional world and make meaning of it. This makes it sacrosanct for me to respond to a young student/early professional who is reaching out to me for guidance on something (or anything). I believe this is one of the tenets of building strong, deep connections with people in business - be ready to give back to the institutions, the communities and the organizations that made you who are. After that, go beyond and give back to other youngsters, who are just ready to fly and need a nudge.

2. Be responsive, you never know when serendipity knocks on your door

While you may not always be able to provide time for deep-dive discussions with everyone who reaches out to you on platforms such as LinkedIn, I believe that the key to building a network that is beyond just names and faces on a platform, is by putting the effort (and patience) to be responsive. The first full-time role I joined, I connected (re-connected rather) with my boss-to-be with a humble LinkedIn reach-out. I never thought I would get a response - but I did! He was gracious to respond and then meet me for a coffee. Eventually, I even got hired! My second job was again a bout of serendipity, when my would-be boss found my profile on LinkedIn and reached out to me for a chat. While for many professionals it might seem an impossible task to find a job through networking and reach outs, trust me, it does happen! The key, however, is to make sure you are not building your network only with a vested interest in mind, but to build relationships with an intent to keep and grow them. It is similar to how we make friends - they help us out in times of need, but that is not why we bond with them in the first place!

I would love to hear from you on what your experience and lessons have been, while building your professional network.