Back to work…and back to networking at work…so here are some suggestions to get off on the right networking foot with your colleagues, collaborators and co-workers.
- Networking at work happens by opening your mouth and talking about your bigger goals and challenges. That’s the only way to give someone a “lightbulb moment” as to how they can help you get to where you want to go. — Michelle Ward, The When I Grow Up Coach @WhenIGroUpCoach
- Best advice for networking at work? Figure out a system to remember where you last saw someone — what happy hour, what workshop, what elevator ride. Then refer to it when you want to connect again. — Jill Van Beke, Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Launch Tennessee @jvanbeke
- How do you network at work? Be mindful of the fact that you’ll be spending a great deal of time with your team and people help who they like, know, and trust. Let your coworkers get to know the real you. — Dawn Quaker, Founder, AUKERA Ventures @d_quaker
- When you’re networking at work, take the time to get to know your coworkers’ lives outside of their jobs. If they like you for you, you’ll deepen your professional relationships and benefit from great collaboration. — Cassidy Williams, Senior software engineer at L4 Digital @cassidoo
- Never eat alone at work. Become a “superconnector” by connecting co-workers with each other. Good networkers build bridges, becoming a linchpin between disparate networks. — Claudia Koerbler, Communication Specialist, United Nations @claudia_koerbler
- Offer to collaborate on activities with your colleagues. Invite them to your events, and show up to support their events and presentations. Invite input on how your work can best support their goals. — Danielle Cohn, Executive Director, Entrepreneurial Engagement, Comcast NBCUniversal @daniellecohn
- I do my best to take every new employee out for a coffee in their first few weeks even if they aren’t on my team. It helps them feel welcome, strengthens our future connection and helps me better determine if their networks from previous roles relate to any of our programming. — Lisa Cashmore, Director, Network Operations, Canadian Digital Media Network @LisaCashmore
Discover more #BYDN insights at buildyourdreamnetwork.com. If you haven’t read it yet….pick-up a copy of #BYDN on Amazon or Barnes & Nobleor Books A Million or Hudson Booksellers or Indie Bound orPowell’s or Targetor Walmart or or any number of independent booksellers or borrow it from your local public library (and if you reallyneed to kickstart your networking by picking up a ton of copies of #BYDN, order in bulk from 800CEORead).
