CNBC Sourpuss disses ‘networking’
by Joe McKendrick
The ultimate form of “turbo networking:”
“Hi, my name is Joe. What can you do for me?”
In a new post, CNBC’s Jim Mason admonishes readers to “Forget What You’ve Heard—Stop Networking!” He claims that networking has gotten out of hand, and that we should stop using the word “network” as a verb.
“Introducing yourself to as many random people as possible in order to advance your career is, amazingly enough, actually a bad use of your time.”
I understand where he’s coming from, but he misses the point.
Of course, networking simply for the sake of pushing services or wares is transparent and can be downright obnoxious. And no where is it more transparent than within social networks. As Seth Godin recently put it, “we all cringe, its like someone trying to sell mutual funds at a funeral or at a cocktail party.”
Networking works best when it creates movements, connects tribes, and enables the sharing of information and insights between individuals and organizations.
Networks are powerful, and, contrary to what Mason says, are a very good use of your time — whether you are advancing your company, a project, or your own career. As I’ve posted in the past, networks are the core of “Personal Outsourcing.” We no longer have to hope the individual in the next cubicle knows enough to help us with a problem. We now can cast a net across the entire globe.
But don’t approach networks with a sales pitch. As Seth Godin puts it, it’s a way “to connect to real people, and be connected to real people.”
In the meantime, don’t listen to the dour voices at the mainstream media, and keep on networking.
