Creating and growing your network is one of the major key success factors for business functions. For some people, it's a given to build relationships and connect with others, for others, here are some tips to follow and mistakes to avoid.
Although it may seem difficult at first, be convinced that it is your network that will accompany you throughout your career and make you grow.
1. Overcoming preconceptions
For many of us, networking is still not widely accepted and is often mistaken for "piston", which has a rather negative connotation. The Anglo-Saxon approach is much more uninhibited and it is from the latter that we should draw inspiration.
"I don't feel like asking for help", for fear of being judged, is a counter-productive preconception: seeking help is a sign of modesty, of knowing one's limits and one's ability to find solutions elsewhere. It is a behaviour that is often well appreciated.
"I don't need anyone" is also a false belief that needs to be dispelled, because in your career you are unlikely to achieve your goals if you walk alone. Arrogance and excessive ego are your worst enemies in achieving your goals.
"I don't have time" is a thought to be discarded. The time you spend building your network is a small investment considering the return you will get, even in the short term. Take a few minutes a week to connect with others, send a message, share a piece of information, congratulate a member of your network on their promotion, etc.
"People might judge me" is a common misconception that holds you back from connecting with others: put it out of your mind! No one will judge you if you have the right attitude in your networking process; giving before receiving is the key to getting others to open up to you and welcome you into their network.
"I'm coming across as a careerist", another biased opinion from a Latin rather than an Anglo-Saxon upbringing. Don't be scared to succeed in your career, take responsibility for your successes and share them with your network. Ask yourself how you can help someone on their career path and you will see that people naturally have more gratitude and memory than you might have imagined.
"I speak bad English" is also a French hang-up that you need to get out of your head. Everyone speaks an international English that is neither Oxford nor New World English. Listen to the CEOs of the Cac 40 and relax: few of them speak English flawlessly and this has not stopped them from running international companies and building a network beyond France.
2. Setting goals
It is very important to consider why you want to connect with someone. Making too many superficial connections is a waste of time and will not yield much in the way of results. Networking can serve a number of purposes: career development, finding clients, suppliers, increasing your knowledge of a subject, identifying potential partners, conducting research, creating training, getting references, identifying colleagues to involve in a project, etc.
3. Having the proper attitude
Comme mentionné précédemment, la clef est de donner avant de recevoir. Ce n'est pas The people you help will inevitably return the favour, but since everything is known, if you establish a reputation as an altruist, it will return to you. On the other hand, people who take before they receive or who only contact you when they are in need are putting themselves at risk and destroying all the efforts they have made to build their network.
Giving can be done in many ways, such as making connections, passing on knowledge, sharing information, expertise, experience etc. When you want to connect with someone, ask yourself what you can bring to the table, before you start thinking about what you want to get out of it for yourself.
Having a positive attitude will help you to make others want to get in touch with you: be cheerful, dynamic and ready to help others.
Networking with others is one of the best ways to grow your own network. Know how to identify people with common interests or issues among your contacts who would benefit from knowing each other. Anticipate and you will see that these generous and selfless actions will come back to you tenfold when you need a helping hand.
Getting others interested will make it much easier to grow your network. Again, it's all about thinking of others before yourself, think about how interested someone might be in getting in touch with you. For example, bounce off an article in which that person appears to make a connection by offering to share your experience on that topic to further the discussion.
Remember that people who are engaged in constructive networking all have a curious mindset and are eager to share and exchange.
Nurturing your relationships is vital for building your network. Taking the time to ask for news, sharing an article that might interest them, connecting them with other members of your network, or congratulating them on their success are all proof of your interest in them and will make you a person that people will want to have around. The larger your network, the more time-consuming it is to maintain it, so be judicious in your selection of contacts.
Being reliable will help you build a reputation of trust and speed up the quality of your network. Do what you promise to do because it is the foundation of trust and networking.
Saying "thank you" and keeping the people who have connected you with others informed is the most important action. Networking works on the principle of gratitude and politeness, again: these are the key ingredients for creating lasting relationships.
Finally, knowing how to build and grow your network is just a matter of attitude and behaviour. If you are kind, empathetic, consistent, reliable and curious, you have all the cards in your hand to succeed in this most valuable exercise in your career.
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