'Tis the Season for Internal Networking

I was born a chatty Kathy, and my mother says I would often babble endlessly in my crib. I guess these were my first attempts at networking! Networking to me is really just making new friends and finding ways to help and share with each other. It is also very valuable for your career, no matter what industry you are in. But what about internal networking? Oh yeah… remember those people that you work with, that you often see now on Zoom calls? Sometimes it is easy to forget about this group as people to network with. However, this group has incredible value for all parties involved! I have found lasting value and friendship with my current AND former colleagues. Especially now over the Holidays, I am connecting with more of my colleagues, and I often find myself reaching out to former colleagues from 10 years ago and more. It is a partnership that is just there, like a family member. Just not a Griswold family member! HOHOHO… throwing in a little Holiday humor!

These past few months, I have found myself looking more at my internal network and my work family. To my delight… internal networking is also very rewarding and especially needed now more than ever! A Pandemic has a sort of way of helping to focus on priorities – Human Beings.

Sharing with you a few of my words of wisdom… why internal networking is valuable and priceless:

1.      We work better as a team. Plain and simple.

·      Collaboration internally brings new ideas to the surface. This can be the best “brainstorming” you can find!

·      Potential clients and current clients like to see a team that is well synched. It is a win/win for everyone. The more you internally network, the more “synched” you are with your team.

·      Reaching out to others internally will help everyone involved and will help keep you informed. Think of it as a “virtual” water cooler.

2.      YOU will grow

·      I have never walked away from a conversation where I have not learned something new. We all have different strengths where we can learn from each other.

·      An offer to help is the quickest way to grow a connection.

·      We all have different knowledge that can be shared to help each other. I have seen this recently on a collaboration call. It really works!

3.      It will make your work environment just better!

·      Cyber Group is a great example of the value of internal networking, winning one of the top 100 places to work in Dallas. We are all a part of this amazing culture. My colleagues are always eager to help, and I hope they know I am here to help as well!

·      You will perform better at your job being more knowledgeable and having a great team working with you.

·      Internal networking will minimize any negative talk or internal politics.

4.      It will bring you JOY

·       Truly, it will bring you some joy to collaborate with another human being. I promise!

·      Focus on what you can contribute rather than what you can receive. Think about a time when you helped someone at work and how it made you feel. It probably made you feel good. Priceless!

·      I have found the more I get out of myself and help others, the better I feel. There is plenty to talk about in 2020, I would just advise not discussing politics!

The holidays provide the perfect opportunity to reach out to others and strike up a conversation. There has never been a better time to reach out to your fellow human beings, and your internal network to just say a simple Hello. I promise you will find something to discuss …remote work, the Pandemic, life, golf… there are endless options in 2020! ‘Tis the Season to all!