Beliefs Series – Networking
❓ What’s your reaction to the statement: “You need to network more”?
Most of my clients’ strong reaction to networking stems from some limiting beliefs that they hold about the activity:
❎ Networking is something you only do when you need a job
❎ Networking is icky because it’s about finding ways to use people
❎ Networking is something only extroverts do well
❎ If I need to network, it means I need help (and that shows weakness…)
❎ I don’t have time to network
❎ Networking is a distraction from my “real job”
❎ Networking is selfish – it’s all about “me”
❎ Networking is all about politics, not results
In my work as a career transition coach and an executive leadership coach, beliefs such as these consistently limit my clients’ abilities to progress their careers. These limitations apply both to clients thinking about moving to a new job and for those trying to be more impactful in their current job. That’s because many of us believe that networking is something we do when we need a job and that it selfishly benefits us at the expense of our organization.
On the contrary, networking is something that works best when we approach the work of cultivating and maintaining the network consistently. A strong professional network should be an asset to your current work as well as to your future career prospects. In complex organizations, a strong internal network will allow you to identify and remove obstacles to your team’s success, develop and position talent, and deliver valuable insight into firm priorities. An external network will provide insight into industry trends, best practices and innovation, and will deepen contacts with clients. All of these fruits of networking benefit your company and your team and make you a more impactful leader in the job you have today.
When it comes time to move to the next job, a strong network (internal and external) will be critical to identifying and designing the right role for you. The same network you built and cultivated while doing your job will help you get the next one. You will already have a habit of touching base with members of your network, and will already have established the potential for mutual benefit from interactions with you. It will feel less transactional, less one-sided. And you might be surprised by the number of people who want to help you find the next job, for all sorts of reasons.
Good news: It’s never too late to cultivate your network. But chances are you are not going to change your behavior unless you identify and challenge your beliefs.
What are your beliefs about networking that might be limiting you? What steps can you take to challenge those beliefs and experiment with new behaviors in 2025?
If you’d like to discuss how your beliefs might be limiting you, connect with me here or at john@aconnectedcoach.com