CNBC Sourpuss disses ‘networking’

March 27, 2009 at 4:06 pm · Filed under Seth Godin, Social Networking

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.

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Blogs and Jobs

April 14, 2008 at 11:34 am · Filed under Andy Carvin, Blogging, David Weinberger, Doc Searls, Jeff Jarvis, Paid Work, Seth Godin

Jeff at NPR with Andy Carvin, me and David Weinberger taken by Doc Searls

Jeff Jarvis writes today about the value of his blog – He says that it has got him all his work over the last few years. The same is true for me. NPR, all my work in New Media, Blackwater, Education – all my paying gigs have come through this medium.

Our money comes largely as a side effect: Here is Seth on that -

At a seminar at the local library, someone asked, “how do I make a lot of money blogging?”

My guess is that at least week’s seminar, the one on growing orchids, no one raised his hand and said, “how do I make a lot of money growing orchids?”

Sure, people make money growing orchids. Some people probably get rich growing orchids. Not many though. And my guess is that the people who do make money gardening probably didn’t set out to do so.

Blogging is much the same way. The best bloggers make money, but mostly as a side effect, not as a direct result of setting out to use a blog to make a profit. It’s just too long a ramp up time, too frustrating and too uncertain to be the best path to make a living.

If it makes you happy (and your readers happy) it’s a great place to start. Step by step you get better at it, and then you discover the ancillary benefits. But the benefits kick in best when you don’t set out to achieve them.

What about you?

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