Have you ever received a call out of the blue from someone you previously worked with? I think we all have. The other day an old colleague called me out of the blue. He had a problem and wanted my assistance.
After spending a few minutes catching up, my former colleague revealed his purpose for calling. Over the next 20 minutes, we discussed how I could possibly assist him. He was trying to replicate the success we had when we worked together.
He told me he remembered that our industry partners were instrumental in building our program. I had built a strong network of partners through my connection with several professional organizations. Our industry partners served as advisors and provided valuable insight into the project.
As we wrapped up our conversation, I offered to connect my former colleague with a couple of individuals from my network. He thanked me for my assistance and promised to keep in touch.
Do have connections with individuals in your department? Of course, your answer is yes. How about individuals in different departments? What about connections with individuals in other industries? Well, I hope your answer is a resounding yes.
We all understand the importance of building relationships with colleagues in our department. However, you may be wondering why you need connections with individuals outside your department.
“Business revolves around people, and it is driven by relationships, which affect every aspect of business from sales to recruitment”
Yiannis Gavrielides, CEO of Covve
It’s critical to your success to build a professional network that expands beyond your department. A broad professional network can open doors, give you access to industry expertise, assist you with achieving your organizational goals, and even help you land your dream job.
So how do you build a professional network? Shayna Joubert offers the following six steps to help you build and maintain your network:
- Attend industry events
- Establish a strong online presence
- Engage with content
- Reconnect with old friends
- Return the favor
- Communicate regularly
To achieve success, it’s essential to build and maintain a professional network.
As you build and maintain your network, remember to find ways to add value to those in your network. Your network will be based on your ability to establish and build trust.
Are you building and maintaining a strong professional network?
Your leadership guide,
Kim
Dr. Kim Moore | Your Leadership Guide | kimdmoore.com
0 comments