Networking is perhaps the most under-rated (and often maligned) aspect related to career management. In my corporate journey which just turned a teenager, I have come across numerous talented employees who struggle to realize their optimum career potential because of this key missing ingredient – active networking!
Networking is often misconstrued (by mostly the ones who haven’t nurtured and mastered the art, yet) as (i) begging for favours from one’s superiors or (ii) desperately trying to ‘sell’ one’s achievements to random senior executives. But in reality, networking is a test of how well one can communicate about various businesses and other topics – with a diverse audience. It is also a test of one’s openness to sharing ideas with another person. Some common forms of active professional networking are the following:
Having a 1:1 conversation with senior executives (sometimes beyond immediate reporting structures) to discuss career aspirations, seek mentoring or simply bounce off new ideas.
Having a cross-functional meeting with a colleague to understand different points of view. For example, in my early marketing career after transitioning from sales, I used to spend a lot of quality time with certain peers in the production vertical. This helped me become a good practical marketer and have a broader general management view later in my career.
Having a quick (but meaningful and impactful) conversation with a senior leader in an annual company convention (yes, exactly when the DJ is blaring out Yo Yo Honey Singh in one corner).
Having a casual meeting with people from the same industry (but not directly linked with your work) and sharing common concerns, ideas etc. After moving to a new country, this form of networking has been the mainstay of my learning about new work culture and business environment.
Clearly, in the long run networking helps in:
Access to better career opportunities: Most employees do not understand this and simply put too much of the onus on HR departments. While HR will always have a basic succession planning in place, active networking helps in unlocking opportunities beyond the obvious. Often Dream Jobs DO NOT appear on IJPs (Internal Job Postings).
Personal development: I cannot over-emphasize the need for staying humble and coachable. As one grows in job responsibilities and stature, networking often becomes the ONLY way to learn new ideas, new culture and reset your learning curve.
Provide surprise breakthroughs to a problem at work: Networking can often, surprisingly, throw up solutions to many existing problems at work. You will be amazed to find out how someone somewhere has faced a similar problem you are facing now or has a solution to your problem.
However, if networking is such an obvious ingredient for success in a long corporate career, why is it misunderstood and under-utilized? The most obvious ones I have witnessed in my journey are: either one feels under-confident of one’s ability to speak about one’s own subject; or the conditioning since early career to ‘not to ask’ too many questions and staying ‘low profile’; or being too lazy to try and learn a new skill; or simply ego. I have seen way too many budding professionals dismiss networking condescendingly with a smirk – “I let my work do the talking!” The very same individuals do eventually realize that this is a shortcoming and they need to nurture this skill. The only question is – how many years of missed opportunities it takes to realize this.
My foremost advice to all young professionals who are a few years into their careers and looking for that ‘breakthrough’ opportunity – take the difficult step and start active networking. Some simple tools which can help you get started (and start NOW!):
Nurture relationships! Long term meaningful networking happens when one does it with a clean heart WITHOUT a motive. Be genuine when you network and always seek out ways to help the other person out.
Be conscious about the need to network. Look for these opportunities or just create them (when was the last time you asked for a meeting with your manager to discuss only career aspirations?). No, your manager WOULD NOT mind this and the worst possible outcome will be that you will be seen as someone serious about shaping your own career.
Look out for networking events in your city and attend a few every weekend – even if the topics are not directly related to your line of work. This will help you to get the much-needed confidence to speak to people in unfamiliar surroundings (plus they often serve freshly brewed coffee or a great lunch).
Have a short ‘elevator pitch’ ready – Be confident to talk about your line of work, short performance overview in a crisp sentence or two. Use your ‘Google’ skills to read up on how to make a good elevator pitch (instead of reading your horoscope). This helps immensely when you walk up to a senior executive at the next company convention at Bangkok.
Jot down a list of people who have had an impact on your career or learning curve (even if you do not work with them anymore) – early career colleagues, teammates, managers or even cross-functional peers. Every weekend, take the pain to reach out to just 2-3 of them to simply catch up on life. Maybe they need some help and you have a solution for them. Do this with a clean heart – you will be amazed by the value it brings you back in the long run.
A simple watch out in the end: networking helps you to REACH for BETTER and act as a multiplier, but it does not substitute real hard work, real performance and a positive attitude. It is the garnishing which master chefs use to an already well-prepared dish – and that makes all the difference.
Author: Anirban Basu
Anirban is currently a Country Manager at Danone – one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. He has a diverse sales and marketing experience of over a decade at some of the most iconic organizations in the world. He is a guest speaker at many leading business schools in India and abroad. Anirban is also an active fundraiser to help cancer patients and other philanthropic causes.
It’s not WHAT you know, but who you know
It’s not WHAT you know, but who you know
Networking is perhaps the most under-rated (and often maligned) aspect related to career management. In my corporate journey which just turned a teenager, I have come across numerous talented employees who struggle to realize their optimum career potential because of this key missing ingredient – active networking!
Networking is often misconstrued (by mostly the ones who haven’t nurtured and mastered the art, yet) as (i) begging for favours from one’s superiors or (ii) desperately trying to ‘sell’ one’s achievements to random senior executives. But in reality, networking is a test of how well one can communicate about various businesses and other topics – with a diverse audience. It is also a test of one’s openness to sharing ideas with another person. Some common forms of active professional networking are the following:
Clearly, in the long run networking helps in:
However, if networking is such an obvious ingredient for success in a long corporate career, why is it misunderstood and under-utilized? The most obvious ones I have witnessed in my journey are: either one feels under-confident of one’s ability to speak about one’s own subject; or the conditioning since early career to ‘not to ask’ too many questions and staying ‘low profile’; or being too lazy to try and learn a new skill; or simply ego. I have seen way too many budding professionals dismiss networking condescendingly with a smirk – “I let my work do the talking!” The very same individuals do eventually realize that this is a shortcoming and they need to nurture this skill. The only question is – how many years of missed opportunities it takes to realize this.
My foremost advice to all young professionals who are a few years into their careers and looking for that ‘breakthrough’ opportunity – take the difficult step and start active networking. Some simple tools which can help you get started (and start NOW!):
A simple watch out in the end: networking helps you to REACH for BETTER and act as a multiplier, but it does not substitute real hard work, real performance and a positive attitude. It is the garnishing which master chefs use to an already well-prepared dish – and that makes all the difference.
Author: Anirban Basu
Anirban is currently a Country Manager at Danone – one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. He has a diverse sales and marketing experience of over a decade at some of the most iconic organizations in the world. He is a guest speaker at many leading business schools in India and abroad. Anirban is also an active fundraiser to help cancer patients and other philanthropic causes.
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