Stop Dirty Networking: Make Friends, Not Contacts
Danny Devito in Matilda
Research has found that people who engage in “instrumental networking,” where the goal is career advancement, made people actually feel physically dirty. So dirty, in fact, that they thought about showering and brushing their teeth!
As creative professionals, it’s understood that for the sake of our careers, we must constantly expand our networks of potential partners and clients. But how can we do that without repulsing people? Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, suggests ditching traditional networking altogether:
Those who are best at it don’t network – they make friends.
. . .
Business is a human enterprise, driven and determined by people…When you help someone through a health issue, positively impact someone’s personal wealth, or take a sincere interest in their children, you engender life-bonding loyalty.
Opt for spontaneous networking, where the goal is the simply the pursuit of emotional connections and friendship.
