When It Comes to Professional Networking, Remember the ‘Golden Rule’
The saying “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know” is true: Relationships are just as important to living a fulfilling professional life as they are to living a fulfilling personal one. It’s not impossible to go it alone, but if you cultivate a strong network of colleagues, it will be much easier to succeed by helping one another.
If you want to harness the power of relationships, you have to dedicate yourself to helping those in your network flourish, too. It’s pretty simple: Always treat your connections with respect and show them how much you value them. If you do, your network will flourish. On the other hand, if you try to take advantage of your network, you’ll find yourself quickly losing favor with your peers. This can alienate you from your colleagues and harm your career.
Whenever someone helps me in my career, I am extremely conscious of showing my gratitude — and going out of my way to repay favors. Generally, I always look to support people in my network in any way I can, which is actually how my company, VentureDevs, got started.
Originally, my co-founder and I were just helping people in our network with tech here and there. But those occasional projects morphed into a business when we realized just how many people needed a better tech solution. While our focus is technology, we often lend a hand with fundraising and always offer business and strategy advice when our clients seek guidance.
This mindset has helped us build strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients, which have also led to increased recommendations to other companies. When we help our clients grow, we grow as well. And by cultivating strong business relationships, you can see similar success.
‘The Golden Rule’ Applies to Business, Too
The reason these relationships have flourished on all sides is simple: All parties are genuinely invested in each other’s success. Relationships shouldn’t be viewed as a one-way street. If you ask someone to make several introductions on your behalf but you don’t provide anything in return, you risk putting stress on your relationship.
I recognize, though, that not everyone is in a position to help in the same way that someone helps them, and that’s totally OK. I never do a favor for someone and expect a favor in return. However, connections can definitely drain the well of my goodwill by repeatedly asking for my help without giving anything back — or, even worse, by not being respectful of the introductions I’ve made for them.
Returning the favor doesn’t need to be a grand gesture. Sometimes, even a genuine “thank you” or handwritten note can do the trick. If you can provide advice or an introduction in return, that’s even better.
Though it might be obvious how not to use business relationships, it can be trickier to figure out the appropriate ways to leverage them. Here are a few ways to get started:
• Grow your network. Get meaningful introductions from friends and others in your personal circle. This includes friends you’ve made throughout your career. Many people I’ve met through business have become close friends, and they possess industry connections that have helped me expand my own network (and vice versa).
• Ask for help with specific goals. If you’re struggling to achieve a specific goal — such as expanding a department or landing a speaking engagement — ask your acquaintances who have the right connections or experience. From events research to trying to find a great new hire, you’d be surprised by how willing your network is to help.
• Seek feedback and guidance. Reach out to more experienced people in your network for feedback on your product or advice on business decisions. Getting this guidance from people who have gone through similar challenges can be a game changer. I started out asking for help on my own projects, and as I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve become an advisor to multiple startups, allowing me to contribute to the ecosystem through my experiences.
Above all, always look to pay it forward in your professional life — just like you would in your personal life. When you grow more successful, remember the times you needed help, and be open to helping others who come to you. After all, building relationships in which each party has the other’s best interests at heart is a win-win situation.
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