Just before the first lockdown, I attended a workshop called ‘Networking for Introverts’. Little did I realise how quickly, and how completely, that title would gain in relevance. But I attended, not out of prescience, but because the claim that “I just can’t network; I’m too shy” is all too common. In fact, what most people are saying is that they’re not convinced that the effort they need to put in is worthwhile.
To a few people (a lucky few), building a network comes naturally. They just love meeting new people, putting people in touch with each other, helping out, and enjoying a warm glow of self-satisfaction when there’s a positive outcome. Most of us, though, have to work a little harder – and unless we are convinced that it’s worthwhile, we won’t bother.
Which is why I so enjoyed Herminia Ibarra’s short piece entitled 5 Misconceptions about Networking. Follow this link to read it: https://hbr.org/2016/04/5-misconceptions-about-networking