Cliff Mason argues that while networks matter, networking doesn't. Amen. People with great networks aren't people who maniacally collect business cards while pumping every random acquaintance for possible signs of a career advantage. They're people who like other people, who talk to other people because they are interested in them, who seek to help other people because, well, that's just what a decent chap ought to do.
Other peoples' lives are interesting, even if they themselves aren't fabulous raconteurs. A good networker is someone who starts out on the presumption that you must be interesting, and looks for the things that make you so. Along the way, they naturally find out quite a bit about you--and because they genuinely care about other people, they will remember three months hence that you said you wanted to move into new media when their friend the new media consultant starts hiring. Maybe five years down the road, you'll help them out. And you will genuinely be glad to, because they were glad to help you.
In other words, it can't be faked, it can't be hurried, and you can't strip out the part where YOU are a person worth knowing. All the business-card warriors would do themselves a lot more good in the long run by focusing on getting good at their jobs, and helping other people when they can just because it's nice to be able to help.
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"People with great networks aren't people who maniacally collect business cards .... They're people who like other people, who talk to other people because they are interested in them ...."
You haven't spent much time in BD meetings with consultants and lawyers, have you? They join clubs, go to meetings, join professional organizations, invite people to lunch and do favors for people in order to develop business, and not out of the goodness of their hearts.
Although I don't disagree with the gist of the post, I do agree with the first sentence, and the title. Seems to me you and Mason are (correctly) making the case that networks don't matter, but networking (which requires effort) does. One can have a huge "network" of contacts (ie., one can know lots and lots of people with whom one occasionally keeps in touch), but it is the depth and validity of those connections that matters.
er, that should have read: ...I don't agree with the first sentence, and the title.
Just to expand a little bit, I've always assumed that by "networking" people are referring to, you know, actually cultivating their contacts. Maybe I'm wrong, and that's not what people mean by "networking." But if people think that just handing out business cards and friending people on FB is effective, well, duh, of course they're going to be disappointed in the results. Is this really an insight? Or to put it another way, you cannot take the "work" out of networking. On the contrary, effective networking is work -- hard work, I'd argue.
All the business-card warriors would do themselves a lot more good in the long run by focusing on getting good at their jobs
Physician, heal thyself.
In other words, it can't be faked, it can't be hurried, and you can't strip out the part where YOU are a person worth knowing.
I'm not so sure; Bill Clinton seemed to fake it pretty well. Part of Hilliary's problem is that she didn't fake it well enough.
What's more, I've pulled in business by going to trade shows and forcing my cards on the people at the booths. I even had one guy pass my card along to someone else. I had to Google him when I heard "I got your name from..."
But I do think there's a bit of a point here: nobody is going to recommend you to someone else on the basis of "I met this guy once and he gave me his card." They'll want to say "I know this guy who does what you need." So you need to move yourself from the "met once" to the "know" category.
This is common sense, and it's a point that has often been made elsewhere.
I think that people are overrated.
Quality networking isn't always genuine and true to the heart. Cunning and drive are more important than genuine good naturedness for achieving well connected success.
Everyone has met some clueless soul who was trying to "network" with complete strangers and it's irritating. But it's irritating not because the person isn't genuine or doesn't care deep down in his heart. It's irritating because it's awkwardly trying to force a relationship without a real purpose.
The important point is that most great networking happens as an unintended byproduct of some other endeavor rather than from trying to network for its own sake.
I hope you're right. Few things in the world make me feel worse than reducing people to means to the ends of professional advancement.
Amen to your amen!
ooh boy I hit the big time!
I am always puzzled by people who see commerce as a win/lose or win-use situation. It rarely works that way; and if you think it works that way, being a grown-up must be miserable.
I generally hate getting to know people because I invariably find out something about them that causes me to lose respect for them and/or stop liking them. Lack of self-awareness is the most common unpleasant quality and one that is particularly hard to overlook.
I have exactly one good friend. I'm certain that I pay a high price for such exclusivity, but the price I would have to pay to be popular is higher.
I recently learned one of the so-called secrets to networking which I think kind of goes with what you're saying, but doesn't discount networking completely.
And that is, when you approach someone to network with, you should be thinking about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.
That was a Eureka moment for me. I believe in networking, but not the fake kind. But there is a real kind where you are developing an awareness among people of what you can do for them in a business sense, and I think that is valuable.
I'm with you (and Mr. Mason), Megan.
My most useful contacts have always been with people that I've actually conducted real business with in the past. Those people know what I do and how I do it, not just what my business card (or resume) says. It's those people that will point me to the best opportunities, and it's those people I think of first when I need to hire or consult with someone professionally.
My only beef with your post is the title - it's not about taking "work" out of "networking." It's using "work" (as in the actual work that you do professionally) to foster networking, rather than making it a separate activity at which you work.