Networking is only BS if you’re BS
I got this nugget from the book, Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years, and I just love it. When I talk to people about networking, most of the time the reaction is that its a fake, BS’y way to be successful. And I’m always kind of confused by this, because to me, networking is a great way to build friendships and relationships based on mutual interests.
When I’m “networking,” I’m not being fake. If I was, my network would be weak and fragile. Instead, I only spend time with people that I really enjoy. If someone what I think of as a good person, or if they’re just meeting with me to get something from me, I stop meeting with them.
Networking should be about connecting dots, not collecting dots. I’ve written before about the best ways to meet people and grow your network (and how networking can help you accomplish ANYTHING in life) but its really quite simple.
If you want to be a great networker, don’t be fake, and don’t tolerate fakeness.
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