There’s a good reason why so many digital business leaders talk about engagement and relationships. The modern workplace is a social place, and your ability to advance to a high-level position is as much about who you know as what you know.
Successful business leaders are great collaborators with strong brands. They build connections and are recognized as pioneers within the industry. So how can you start connecting with others? Five business leaders share their top tips for successful networking.
1. Focus on work
Hakan Yaren, CIO of APL Logistics, says good networking starts close to home and smart professionals understand the importance of being great at what they do.
“Sometimes you see people come in looking for the name recognition, but they don't want to do the work,” he says.
“So I always say, 'Your work matters. Be an expert in your field.'”
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Yaren says certain skills can help you network effectively, such as the right attitude, aptitude, and the ability to read the atmosphere.
He advises professionals who want to build their brand to engage in multiple activities.
“Raise your hand. Everyone's path is different. I didn't start out in IT. I'm an engineer by training. I worked as an engineer for the first few years of my working life.” Yaren says.
“It's up to you to make the most of these opportunities. Add value, improve each role incrementally and learn from the process.”
2. Share wisdom with your peers
Dan Eddy, customer service director at UK healthcare solutions provider Simply Health, encourages professionals to transparently share information with colleagues.
“I recently posted on LinkedIn about how 84% of complaints are resolved within three days, and this garnered a lot of attention from the customer experience community,” he says.
“'How did you do it? What are you doing?' And we'd be happy to share some of that information. It's not rocket science, but we know how difficult it is to accomplish. I am.”
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Eddie explains how he uses a variety of techniques, including Salesforce Einstein for Service and Knowledge GPT-enabled answers, to generate his company's high complaint resolution rates, well above the industry average of 46%.
“I've worked in the customer service industry for many years, and I've failed and I've succeeded,” he says.
“But because of that learning, we know how to achieve the outcomes we currently deliver at Simply Health. And what we do and how we empower the field I am happy to share.”
Eddie encourages other professionals who want to build their brands to share their ideas.
“I like doing interviews with the press, I like being on stage, I like being on forums and finding out what other people are doing,” he says.
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“There are always treasures to take home and bring back to your nest, which means building relationships and having conversations is key to successful networking.”
3. Focus on what interests you
Nick Granger, corporate director and chief financial officer at the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), says the best way to connect with others is by choice.
“Network in areas that interest you,” she says. “If you try to attend every event, you’ll burn out and end up talking yourself down.”
Prior to joining NSTA in late 2016, Mr. Granger spent nine years with the Falkland Islands Government, serving as Strategic Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, including responsibility for finance and other corporate functions.
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She remains interested in the islands. “I'm a non-executive director of a conservation charity,” she told ZDNET, reflecting on her own role with the Falklands Conservation Society. “It's a British charity, but it works primarily in the Falkland Islands.”
The Falklands Conservancy is a non-governmental organization working to protect wildlife for future generations.
Ms Granger says working in a non-executive role at a charity improves her skills and advises other professionals to seek out similar opportunities.
“Networking for me is about finding topics that interest me and meeting other people who are interested in those topics.”
4. Stop worrying about looking stupid.
Caroline Carruthers, CEO of consultancy Carruthers & Jackson, has simple advice for people looking to build a brand: “Stop worrying about looking stupid.” are doing.
Without a strong presence both in the real world and online, it's hard for people to get to know you.
“So talk to people, get on stage, go to events, reach out to people on LinkedIn,” she told ZDNET.
“I'm shocked at how few times in my career I've approached people and been turned down. Most people are interested in conversation.”
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Carruthers says it's also important to recognize that many people who network are also looking to build their personal brand.
Therefore, consider networking to be a mutually beneficial activity.
“Another thing to consider is if you’re interested in collaborating with someone, ask them about themselves,” she says. “Most people love to talk about themselves.”
5. Don't forget your internal network
Craig Donald, the Football Association's chief information officer (CIO), recognizes that external presence is important, but effective brand builders are also aware of how they look internally. He says he is also thinking carefully about whether he is being watched.
“The key to successful networking with companies is to make time for ad-hoc conversations,” he says.
Donald told ZDNET that it's difficult to have conversations with senior employees if you're not already focused on building relationships.
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“If you don't spend time talking to people, it's going to be more difficult when you do collaborate because you won't be able to build strong relationships,” he says.
“So I think networking is about continually refreshing relationships. Finding time to get coffee or have a quick chat on Teams or Slack and say, “How are you doing, what's going on?'' Just say, “Are you sure?''
People who network effectively find it much easier to collaborate and also remember your strengths.
“It all feels less forced because you already have a relationship,” Donald says. “So for me, what feels right within this organization is to have those contacts and not just use them when you need them.”
