Networking is just a fancy word for making friends!

My son sent me this and it made me smile.

We can’t be friends with every person we network with but we do have to treat them with the same respect and get to know them in the same way. You have to trust them, you have to be comfortable to refer them to your friends and colleagues in the same way you would introduce friends to each other.

As the quote says “Children do it everyday” but they don’t just meet at school, they play together and see each other out of school. Now I don’t mean you have to go out playing with your fellow networkers but you do have to have those important 1-2-1s, it may be over a coffee or it may be something stronger, it may be during the working day or if you get on a little better it may be out of working hours.

You can’t expect to receive or give recommendations if you meet a fellow networker once a month, twice a month or even once a week you have to know them better than that.

It also says “don’t over think it”. So many times I hear people say they are not able to give referrals but they happen naturally as you get to know your fellow networkers you pick up on what they do and who they would be useful too. So don’t worry they will happen.

And please remember to enjoy your networking we are all there for the same reason.