So recently I finished reading a book by Keith Ferrazzi called “Never Eat Alone” that really changed my whole way of thinking about networking. (http://nevereatalone.com) I had always viewed networking as the stuffy, annoying, networking meetings with people running around having very shallow conversations just to get their business card out to as many people as possible. But this books changed my viewpoint. My goal in meeting new people is to try and make a connection with the people I meet. One that could ultimately lead to a real relationship. This book really boiled it down for me. That it shouldn’t be difficult, even for someone like me who leans more to being an introvert. Although he does a much better job of describing it:
To some, “Networking” has become a dirty word – and rightfully so. It conjures up rooms of unemployed job-hunters desperately and frantically searching for a quick way in to a position. Or, it’s smarmy salespeople collecting business cards that they toss away when the quick buck doesn’t appear as quickly as hoped. Together, we will do something very different with the word Networking. We will define it as forming genuine relationships and building genuine community — a community of relationships that helps everyone’s well-being and success.
Hopefully I’ll find more time to write on the subject. But for now I’m still diggesting all the details from the book and putting them to work.
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