3: Networks

Networking is a concept that many are both fascinated and disgusted by. The general idea of network building plays directly into a “who you know” mentality, when most people would rather their success be based on “what you know” and “what you can do.” Networking is really a combination of all three – who you know is partially a function of what you know and, like it or not, impacts what you can do. That said, we define networking a bit differently. To us, networking is the simultaneous process of building relationships and brand awareness.

Both aspects of this definition are critical for purposeful networking. The idea of someone approaching networking solely to build the largest network is silly – while network size matters, it is hardly a good barometer of usefulness or quality. The healthiest and most valuable networks exhibit a few distinct characteristics: