RIGHT NETWORK 2 ~ Have a Goal in Mind | Selectively Connect.
Hello beautiful people. We, explored the idea of relational beings and networking in the previous part and how it helps us understand that humans cannot survive in isolation, sooner or later we must feel the need to have some company, to be part of a network and to also be responsible people. We will be going deeper into understanding what it means to build the right network and all that it entails in the following parts.
Your question would be, how do we build a network and how do we make sure it is the right network?
I am here to answer that question for you.
— Have a goal in mind.
The first thing you need to secure in place before worrying about a network or if its the right network is having a goal in mind. Yes, it sounds cliche now but this is really the foundation you need when you want to build a network the right way.
Are you trying to land a new job?
Do you want to find new clients for your business?
Are you seeking out mentors to advance your career?
Are you in need of new friends in a new environment?
This questions will trigger you to think deep to know what goals to set and when you have answered the question, you need to write them down, write down all you think will be of benefit as an answer.
That way you will know exactly what you need and where to focus your effort as you have determined your target and also how to hit them squarely. Another reason you need to be accountable about this is because it will help you keep tract of how much you have progressed over time.
— Selectively Connect.
When you have your goals set and locked down. The next thing to do is seek out the right people who will fit in with your goals.
The secret to networking or building the right network of people is selective friendship. You will not try to connect to everyone you meet, that will be a waste of time and resources and could have a negative result. The people you seek to connect with must align with what you desire to achieve. What they bring to the table will determine if you should connect with them or not. Many people go to events with their business cards and give it to everyone they come across, sometimes it is a good strategy but when it comes to building a network, you must selectively hand out your contact information. Except you are only interested in making as many new friends as possible, or making your product and service well advertised, it is not the best strategy to get involved with everybody you meet.
Rather than having 1000 people who will not know how to help you advance towards your goal, it is much better to have 5 people who are learned, cultured and create a progressive network that will solve problems and give you a heads tart towards your goals in the shortest time possible.
Another thing to consider is that, it is not the richest person in your network that is most valuable, so seeking out a person because of their financial status alone may not help you, their wealth may not be valuable to you when you need someone who is a problem solver or an analyst. So get the people who really matter, they could be male or female, older or younger but make sure they are the right people.
Choose only those who are right for your network, this must be done selfishly also. Make a list of all these people you choose for your network and know where they come in as required. One man can change your life entirely for good or bad, this will be determined by how you choose.
The key thing is, know where you are going, know what you want to achieve and know the people you need to achieve it. With this information now in your hands, you Wil not just go about making friends with everybody or asking them to join your network. You have limited resources, don't squander them on nothing.
