Why Networking Is Overrated and How to Do It Better??

Networking is one of those buzzwords that everyone seems to love. You are told to network your way to success, to build your personal brand, to expand your circle of influence. But what does networking really mean? And is it really the best way to advance your career and achieve your goals?

The popular conception of networking is entirely wrong. It is not about meeting a bunch of people, exchanging business cards, and making small talk. It is not about getting warm introductions, sending follow-up emails, and asking for favors. It is not about quantity, but quality.

Networking is about building meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with people who share your interests, values, and passions. It is about creating value for others, not just taking value from them. It is about giving more than you receive, not keeping score.

The problem with the conventional approach to networking is that it is superficial, transactional, and ineffective. You may end up with a lot of contacts, but not a lot of connections. You may get a lot of attention, but not a lot of respect. You may get a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results.

The next time you are considering going to another conference, joining another community, or having another coffee chat, try staying home and instead spending that time:

1.????? Working on something hard and interesting. Take on a stretch project at work, make progress on a side project, or write an essay about something you learned.

2.????? Bringing others into that work. Reach out to a potential collaborator, ask for feedback or share the project publicly.

If you do these things consistently, you will build a network naturally. You will attract people who are curious about what you are doing, impressed by what you have done, and eager to help you do more. You will also have something valuable to give back: interesting work, interesting ideas, and hard-won lessons. And that is the only way to make it stick.

Networking is not a skill you can learn from a book or a course. It is a habit you can develop from doing meaningful work and sharing it with others. It is not something you do once in a while, but something you do all the time. It is not a chore, but a joy.

That's a wrap! Thanks for reading and if you found this useful, please share it with your network and follow me for more content like this.