Ask me what I do and one of the things I will mention is “networking.”  What the heck is it though?  I’ve met many who believe they are practicing networking, but we’re definitely NOT on the same page.   So, let’s take a stab at defining it.

Networking is purposeful behavior.  It is social in nature.  It engages one’s communications skills fully.  The objective is the development of mutually rewarding relationships where each individual understands the needs, skills and desires of the other and commits to assisting the other.

So what are the key elements in this definition?   It all begins with a focus on the OTHER party and expressing a keen interest in understanding their traits, skills, interests, values and desires.  Subsequently when there is a discovery by each party of shared interests, there is an expressed desire to support and help each other achieve their goals and make connections to other people.  Most important is the intention of developing a relationship requiring ongoing communication and interest in serving the other party.  Both parties must share in initiating subsequent communication.  Follow-up is critical to nurturing the relationship.

In future posts I’ll explore:

• What engages networking.
• What attributes make one a successful networker.
• How online networking complements and differs from face-to-face networking.
• Differentiating Networking from “NEEDworking”
• What is NOT networking.
• Lessons learned.

Let’s take this as a starting point.  I welcome your remarks and feedback.  Blogging is social media.  Your opinion improves the quality of the conversation when you offer your insights and observations.  My thoughts are NOT definitive.  Hopefully they are a catalyst for thought and shared feedback.