“Most people network to get something. The best networkers focus on what they can give.”
This insight from “ENGAGE: A practical guide to understanding, influencing and connecting with people” challenges the traditional networking mindset, especially relevant during the festive season.
Consider this scenario from the book:
Two people attend the same event.
• One carries business cards and an agenda
• One carries curiosity and genuine interest
Same event. Different outcomes.
The secret? Stop treating networking as a transaction and start seeing it as an opportunity to weave the social fabric. As I write in ENGAGE: “Interact with people who you do not need anything from, just for the sake of it.”
Three networking truths:
1. Authentic interest trumps artificial intensity
2. Giving creates natural reciprocity
3. The best connections often start with no agenda
As you attend end-of-year gatherings, remember: Every conversation is an opportunity to understand, not just to be understood.
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