At a networking event, one is mentally prepared for new alliances and connections. At one’s own organization, however, one falls into the trap of the familiar and the comfortable. While it is always good to get away to a networking event to meet new people, have interesting new conversations, seek inspiration; you can do the same within your organization as well.
But why?
Let me first try and win this argument by detailing the benefits of proactively networking within the organization.
You become more visible. More people get to know you, not just in terms of your name/designation and which department you work for, but actually get to know you as a person. This is extremely beneficial because they begin to form a first hand perception of who you are rather than second hand, drip down information.
It is always good to have handy friendships in other departments during operational skirmishes. This boosts productivity. You are also seen as a collaborative individual, a huge goal for the organization.
You get a broader understanding of the organization, its goals and its people.
You get to know about internal opportunities of movement, new projects that you can be a part of. In fact, because more people now know about you and your skills, you open yourself up to being invited to participate in juicy projects, informal meetings and discussions and so on.
Ok, so how?
Now that we’ve established how beneficial it is, I will also address the elephant in the room and tell you that while some of us do proactively network in our organizations, most of us prefer to stay in the comfort zone of our team, department and friends. Why? Because of the comfort zone!
So how do you network within your organization?
1. Lunch tables: I find this the easiest way to move away from the norm. Look around you during lunch time. Everyone has their ‘group’. It is the most comforting thing to grab lunch with the SAME set of people day after day. But once a week, choose to sit with a different group. Or a different person. It’s scary. But if you approach this with an open mind, it may lead to interesting networking, especially within peer groups.
2. Request for mentoring: Every month set a target of reaching out to a member of the senior management team for a mentoring session. Send a mail stating your request clearly and whether they spare 15 mins of their time. Chances are you won’t get a no for an answer. If you do get a no for any reason, follow up next month. And don’t forget to approach someone else this month.
3. Turn up for the dreaded HR events: Turn up for office mixers, workshops, team bonding sessions. As we grow older, we tend to turn up our noses at HR created events/workshops. They are actually a great way to get people to know who you are and also get to know other people in your organization.
Leave me a comment below telling me if you proactively network within your organization or prefer to stay within safe zones. What are your fears of networking?
Dipika, She Means Business
For interesting and engaging collaborative learning sessions at your organization, reach out to me at info@shemeansbusiness.co