How To Build Effective Network And Relationships

Networking requires some real and ongoing efforts from you. It is something that you do throughout your career and beyond. Always ask yourself if the person you just left will love to meet you again tomorrow. It’s very important to consciously strive to leave alluring impressions on the people we relate with daily in the office, at home, worship centers and, yes, everywhere.

Some strategies for building effective networks are outlined below:

Recognize The Need For Having An Effective Network
What you don’t feel a need for, you won’t pursue. So also is networking! You must realize the need and importance of building a good network; this will regulate your behavioral patterns and how you relate with others in the workplace – superiors and colleagues, and external friends and the general public. Already summarized are some of the benefits of networking in my previous post.

Networking Requires Team Spirit and Team Work
Before joining your organization, you might have been accustomed to making unilateral decisions and acting alone without recourse to any suggestions. This mindset may have followed you to your workplace, but you should realize that things have changed. In the workplace, the ideology should rather be that the ideas of two or more people combined can lead to a better solution than one person’s ideas. Professionals should adopt a team mindset; this will encourage openness, communication, idea sharing and ultimately friendliness upon which networking and relationship sprouts.

Networking Requires Broad-mindedness and Compromise
Building an effective relationship and network sometimes requires open mindedness and concession to walk with people of differing opinions and stance. You don’t have to agree with everything others say or believe, but you have to be honestly open to considering their points of view and be sure to clearly explain why their position won’t work in that situation. Do not also be easily infuriated by people’s shortcomings and deficiencies, rather try to help them where possible.

Avoid Office Gossip, Back-talk and Back-stabbing
Everyone has a bad side that can be irritating to others sometimes; but discussing it with others or gossiping about it and destroying the person’s image behind their back will only rescind networks and relationships if the word gets out, and most probably it will. Better discuss with the parties involved directly, clearly and humbly to correct any wrongdoings.

Be Willing to Learn and Share Ideas and Suggestions
Instead of undue and unhealthy competitions, strive rather to learn from other people’s successful actions, ask them what makes them thick and better than others. Also, be willing to share ideas, suggestions with others to help them complete an assignment. There is really no need to compete. Sharing will eventually result in both parties being the better for it.

Practice Some Networking Etiquette
Here are some essential networking etiquette that can help you build an effective network and relationship:

• Respect people and their choices;
• Do not condemn people for standing against your opinion;
• Always follow through on your promises and be sure to promise only what you can deliver, you’ll be tagged a trustworthy person for it;
• Remember to thank the person that helped you or shared an idea with you;
• Send a birthday message to friends or some greetings the next time they celebrate;
• And always wear a smiling and welcoming face.

 Thank you.