OPEN THREAD: What's your Networking Philosophy?
Do the same principles that guided you when building your network still serve you?
This week we’ll be focusing on new rules of networking. I was inspired to write about this topic when I was asked for a networking favor and felt conflicted granting it. This inspired me to ask my network about their feelings around networking online, and connecting people in their networks.
The poll inspired a few thought provoking comments that I can relate to:
This unofficial temperature check inspired me to think hard about the new rules of online professional networking in this LinkedIn-ubiquitous, post-Covid, Optionality-seeking environment. How do you expand your network in mid career? When shifting careers? When networking less in-person? When you may not know the people in your network that well, if at all? When you are asked to tap your network on behalf of someone else?
I’ll share my new rules in tomorrow’s weekly newsletter. What are yours?
My LinkedIn comment that you screenshot for the post kind of says it all for me. I love being a connector, but sometimes I feel like "networking" to some is really "selling to." And I also feel like it would be great for people puling groups together to know that "community" vs. "network" have different definitions and to have clarity about which one you're building.
Most connections I request have a solid mutual connection or reason to support each other and learn more. I also make connections via professional groups or conferences even though we might have only a passing acquaintance. I think of LinkedIn with those as a contact book. As for acting on behalf of a request I would need to feel confident the connection would be fair and beneficial. I don’t make introductions lightly. As for interns and staff connections —they would have to be stellar enough that I would want to recommend them.
That being said, I certainly have old connections that I have to try hard to remember how we met.