I remember a lively presentation from John Doerr when I was in business school, some 20 years ago. (Long before DeepMind’s AlphaFold, John was highlighting proteomics as a key growth area for future investment and value creation; to say that he sees the big picture is an understatement!) But what struck me most was his advice to network, every day. Make a list, put aside the time and call people up to stay in touch. It was simple advice, and I have made earnest attempts in the 20 years since to keep in touch with my network.
It is one thing to stay in touch with the network you have. It is another to grow your network in a deliberate fashion. This is time well spent — but how do you do it? In her book “Reach Out: The Simple Strategy You Need to Expand Your Network and Increase Your Influence”, Molly Beck lays out a methodology to grow your network of contacts by putting aside time each day to find connections with new people. She is clear about the advantage a larger network brings: “People and your positive influence over them are what get you what you want” in your career, or even in your personal life.
The key to “getting what you want” is being the first to give. Thinking about how you can help other people, and offering that first, makes it far more likely that they respond positively to your initial contact. By thinking about how you can help and connect others within your network, as well as reaching out to new people with something of interest to them, on a daily basis and with time set aside just for this purpose, you create opportunities for yourself.
Even within a company setting, by offering help to others outside your immediate management, you enhance the perception of yourself as a team player, someone who is thinking from a company perspective, and someone who is willing to take on more to make a positive difference. The only limit to your success and progress is yourself, in the end!
By being proactive about networking, and reaching out to help others first before asking for their help, you greatly increase the likelihood of being considered for new roles, offered a promotion or recruited by someone in your network. Thirty minutes a day, every week day, can open a lot of doors! Try it and tell us what you find! New cohorts are starting in 2 weeks on @peppercorn.ai —