Building a Network

I have a traditional information technology personality.

I am quiet. I am a bit of an introvert.

I would pick the book if I had to choose between heading home and reading a book instead and going to the bar to meet friends after work on Friday.

Over the years, I have overcome many introvert-related personalities to become a successful executive. I can manage a team. I am outgoing in personal and professional social events. I do not seek out presentations and public peaks, but I also do not lose sleep over them.

One thing I still struggle with is networking.

I have traditionally built my reputation at the companies I work for by doing versus talking.

Most of my experience is building my network through execution and delivery. If you execute, you will make a strong reputation in the community, team, or company you are working with. "Say what you do, do what you say" is a motto I learned from a boss in my past jobs. It was all about clearly communicating what you will do and executing those commitments.

What if you have to act quickly? What if your experience at your new company or business is limited? What if all the people are new or not physically located close to you? What is an introvert supposed to do?

Prepare

Preparation for any situation is good.

Before heading to your next big meeting, social event, or networking activity, spend a few minutes thinking about what you want to learn from others.

Have questions prepared ahead of time. If it is a networking opportunity about new careers, ask questions like, "How did you get started in this career?" or "What are you passionate about?" If you are worried about forgetting or freezing up when put on the spot, write things down and practice beforehand. There is no shame in practicing stuff we are not good at.

Additionally, think of ways to bring value to the people you are networking with. People are more likely to help you if you bring value to them.

This week, I will network with another group at my company. I want to hear firsthand the challenges the business is facing and not hear a translation as delivered to me by our Information Technology Business Partners. I am preparing by having a list of projects important to them. I aim to learn what is important to the business and help them be successful. I would like them to take ownership of their areas of responsibility so we can go faster and create value. I will bring value to the meeting by bringing transparency and prioritization to the work that is important to them.

Find a Buddy

You do not have to do this by yourself. No predefined social, career, or professional networking rule says you must fly solo. Confidence in numbers or strength in numbers is a real thing.

Bring a friend or colleague to the event.

If you have to fly solo, try to reach out to make one connection quickly. That way, you have someone to have lunch with, wave to, or introduce to others at the event. If you meet at least one person, you might surprise yourself with how much fun you can have.

I will not fly solo at my networking event at work this week.

My IT business partner will be in the room to help fill communication or knowledge gaps. My team will help me prepare the materials to bring transparency and prioritization to the above business example.

Be That Person

Remember, you are not the only one nervous at a networking event. There will be countless new and experienced networkers who are just as anxious as you. Instead of being "scared to death," think about helping people who feel the same way. Maybe that is the value you bring. Maybe your role is to help others be comfortable and successful at networking. "Have you been to an event like this before?" might be a great opening line.

My team and others in my organization are nervous about engaging with their business partners. They are concerned they will not have the correct answer, receive more work, or be in a no-win situation.

I want to be that person and lead by example. I want to give them a real-world example of engaging successfully with the business. If you come prepared and bring value to the business, it does not translate into more work.

By getting directly involved with my business partners, I am setting an example for my team members, showing them that engaging is not difficult.

Be Present

Stay focused on the conversation.

If you are nervous about networking, it can be difficult to relax, forcing you to lose focus.

Whatever you do, do not start looking at your phone, watch, or other electronic device. Stay focused on your new acquaintance.

As lots of good questions.

For my work networking meeting, I will stay focused on the challenges and opportunities of the people in the room. It is an opportunity to hear and learn things I did not know about before. It is a unique opportunity to hear information firsthand and connect the dots between technological solutions and real business problems. I cannot accomplish this if my head is elsewhere during the engagement.

The best way to have a good discussion is to be fully present and attentive in the moment. Give your complete focus to the topic at hand.

Challenge Yourself

I challenged myself by inserting myself into a meeting that my team is not typically invited to. This was a business meeting without any information technology seat at the table. I reached out to leadership and presented a value statement. I told them I wanted to understand their challenges and opportunities firsthand to propose and deliver solutions faster.

There was perceived value in my request, so I got the invitation.

Challenge yourself to make networking part of your routine. You can set goals like trying to meet four new people each week, but goals can be elusive. Instead, create a system focusing on meeting new people and building professional relationships.

For example, when sitting in line at the grocery store, associate a networking activity with it. If I am waiting in line at the grocery store, I will strike up a conversation with a person I have never met before.

Another example is that in every meeting I attend, if there is someone in the room I do not know, I have implemented a system that says I need to introduce myself to that person and learn one thing about them.

I am trying to implement another system to expand the number of followers I have on the X platform. I am implementing a system that makes sending direct messages to new X members part of my morning routine.

I am not perfect at any of this.

As mentioned above, I am a bit of an introvert at heart.

I am a work in progress, but I am sharing so that we can learn together.

Good luck with your networking activities, and comment on my block if you have any advice that can help the greater audience.