Having to start building a network when I left the corporate world was initially quite daunting for me, but over the years I developed my networking skills. Here are a few tips that helped me to build a big and powerful network.
Ronel Jooste CA(SA) Director at FinanciallyFiTLife and author, speaker and radio talk show host
Meeting new people is not easy, especially if you are introverted by nature. My advice would be to find groups of like-minded people. This could be a group consisting of entrepreneurs, sports enthusiasts, hobbyists, property investors, directors, professional bodies, etc. Starting a conversation with strangers who share similar interests is much easier.
Attend events where these groups get together. The secret is consistency in attending. The more you interact with somebody, the easier to build a lasting relationship of trust. It is not effective aiming to build relationships with all the people at an event: rather focus on one or two people and have meaningful conversations with them. Listen intentionally to what they are saying and focus on remembering a few key things about them. If they are leaving soon on an international holiday, make a mental note to ask them about the holiday when you meet them again.
To build lasting relationships, obtain contact details and connect with them afterwards on WhatsApp or social media. Social media, especially LinkedIn, are powerful tools to connect with people and maintain relationships. Connecting with people directly on social media is also a great tool to build a network. The benefit is in maintaining the relationship after the initial meeting – keep contact by sending messages from time to time or meeting up for coffee. It is a waste of time meeting hundreds of people or having hundreds of followers but not forming any meaningful relationships with at least some of them.
Remembering names is not everybody’s strength. Repeat the name when they introduce themselves to make it easier to remember. It is also advisable to save their names on your phone together with some indication to help you easily remember them, for example ‘John Stewart Director ABC Company’.
For professional growth and development, building a network of mentors proves to be extremely valuable. Identify people who you look up to, who are experts in their fields, or who have extensive experience that you can learn from. Ask them to have coffee or a Zoom meeting. They can only say ‘No’, but they might also say ‘Yes’. You will be surprised how many people are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience or to bounce off ideas.
For personal growth, it is advisable to build diverse networks with people having different career paths, backgrounds, interests, etc. It can open your eyes to a whole new world.
Happy networking!
Building your network
Building a network of strategic, personal, and organisational connections can be beneficial from both a personal and a professional perspective. Networking can be defined as the process of creating interconnected relationships with people who provide the support, information, insight, and resources needed to accomplish tasks and achieve personal and organisational goals. Building solid networks inside and outside an organisation can help leaders to optimise their performance. Some networks form naturally, for example parents of children attending school together or working together at an organisation. Building other types of networks might be more difficult and often require networking skills.
