Build skills, not contact lists: How to be an effective networker in the digital era
A key factor that defines success is the approach to networking — are you connecting to give or to take?
Networking is done right!
While it is true that today’s hyper-connected age allows us to instantly connect with anyone around the world, what we do before and after a connection has been established can be the difference between winning and losing. Deep connects are built when we have something special to offer — a unique skill that sets us apart from others. Psychologist Adam Grant explains this in his podcast “Worklife”: “You don’t have to start by building your contact list. You can start by building your skills. Because having expertise to share sets you up to connect with interesting people.”
The other critical factor that defines success is your orientation to networking — are you connecting to give or to take? Research shows that while givers and takers may have equally large networks, givers add more value to their networks, reinforce their reputation and expand their universe of possibilities. As LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman points out, “It seems counter-intuitive, but the more altruistic your attitude, the more benefits you will gain from the relationship.”
Fostering ‘boundary-less connections’
Speaking for Big Think, author Erica Dhawan narrates the story of how Colgate struggled to solve the mechanical problem of fluoride getting stuck in manufacturing equipment.
Despite engaging all the top chemists in the organization and pouring thousands of dollars into solving the issue, the challenge remained unresolved for months. Eventually, the company ended up posting details of the problem in InnoCentive, the open innovation and crowdsourcing platform that brings together scientists from all over the world. According to Dhawan, a physicist from Canada looked at the problem online and said that it was a physics problem and not a chemistry problem, and shared details on how to solve it, leading to an instant resolution for Colgate.
