Networking is important, says business networking expert Gwen Rhys. But pounding the flesh over a few limp canapés isn’t enough on its own.
Research undertaken at INSEAD and reported in the Harvard Business Review in 2007 revealed that successful leaders have a nose for opportunity and a knack for knowing whom to tap to get things done. These qualities, it was revealed, depend on a set of strategic networking skills that non-leaders rarely possess.
If you want to be a leader, networking is imperative. And even if you don’t want to be a leader, but want to keep your job in the current climate, networking is a good idea.
The greatest peril of all is therefore not networking. However, accepting that networking is a good thing, there are a few things that you need to avoid if want to maximize your efforts. And they are:
1.Believing it’s a numbers game
Effective networkers think quality, not quantity. Building and nurturing meaningful relationships with 20 valuable and influential people pays bigger dividends than having 200 so-called “friends” on a social-networking site.
2.Schmoozing the room
Effective networkers know that being in the right room is what really matters. Meeting a friend in a coffee shop or bringing together some of your own network for an informal lunch, sharing goals, needs and wants and thinking about how you can each help one another often reaps more rewards than attending typical “networking events”. Be genuinely interested in others and put and bring people together for mutual advantage.
3.Forgetting that it’s about who knows you
Effective networkers recognise that it’s not always about who you know. Being on the radar of those who influence your career is what counts. Volunteer for image and profile enhancing activities and influence those you want to reach.
4.Confusing importance with influence
Effective networkers know it’s not always possible to connect directly with important people (eg senior managers) and that they aren’t necessarily the most useful people. Instead, build relationships with influencers, such as PAs, who are easier to approach.
5.Staying within one’s comfort zone
Effective networkers, like most people, can feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings and/or when meeting others for the first time. Grasp such challenges and through careful preparation, watching and listening you will maximise opportunities as they arise.
To enhance your networking skills visit www.gwenrhys.com
Network The City/Womens Groups
We all suffer from a lack of free time, so when someone invites you along to a networking event like many women, your priorities probably lie with your existing work or family commitments. However, if you are serious about progressing yourself and expanding your professional circle, then you are going to need to invest a little time in networking. We have detailed just a few of the womens groups that either hold specific events across the City or meet up at regular forums. All of these networks have something in common. They all create environments and host events where professional women can meet other women to learn and share experiences. As you would expect of WATC all of these groups have been recommended by existing members, in fact we are members of most of them ourselves. So why not take the plunge and join one one of these groups at their next event. You just never know where the journey may take you !
Check out What's on for some of their latest events or visit their websites direct
womenintechnology is a leading on-line job board and networking group for women working in the IT profession. Their job board is helping major firms to raise their profile amongst female technologists in the UK highlighting why they are an ideal place for a woman to have a successful technology career. In turn the job board enables female IT jobseekers to apply directly to organisations which are actively seeking more female staff. The launched the website in March 2005 and since then womenintechnology has grown into an extremely useful tool organisations can use to attract more female talent. They have built up an active network of c3,000 technology professionals (backed up by a larger network of over 9,000 female technologists) who are very committed to promoting women in the IT sector.
Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF) is a non-profit making leading professional organisation committed to empowering its members in the banking and finance industry to realise their full potential. Founded in 1980, WIBF is solution orientated, advising corporations and offering individuals the tools with which to fulfil individual potential in and out of the workplace.
Read Lynne Cantors profile, who is the president of the WIBF-Toastmasters group
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CWN is one of the longest established networks for senior professional and business women in the United Kingdom. Since 1978, CWN has been arranging excellent events, fostering friendships among peers and providing mutual support and stimulation to members. Our network addresses the issues facing today's highly-educated and experienced career women. Our aims include encouraging more women to become directors, to take on public appointments and to become trustees. CWN members work in and around London. Many are leading lights in their chosen fields. Whether from the private, public or charity sectors, members benefit from an excellent mix of networking opportunities in a context of business and personal development, with plenty of socialising and fun! CWN works closely with corporates' internal women's networks. We also play an active part in international networks, such as the European Professional Women's Network and The International Alliance for Women. We welcome women from all nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Read event review
"Are you female, passionate about your abilities and have a depth of knowledge in your chosen subject area? Would you count yourself as geeky and girly. Well it's time to get yourself down to London Girl Geek Dinners. These are events for women who enjoy interacting with like minded people. We are a non-profit community group that meet up (roughly) once a month in bars, pubs and restaurants around the city in the evenings. (and sometimes catch up for Girl Geek Coffee too during the daytimes!) Our meet up's are relatively informal and are all about learning from one another. Girl Geek Dinners are part of a worldwide campaign to bring women from industry areas together and you can see all the locations worldwide on the .com site! We also work in conjunction with other support networks such as Women in Technology and the BCS Women. Many of our events are sponsored so that we can hire out venue space and provide food and/or drinks at our events as well as having fantastic speakers talking on all sorts of subjects from web 2.0 through to project management and being a female in the tech industry. Our network is constantly growing and we love encouraging people to interact in the city! Men are also welcome at our events. We encourage them to come along however they will need an invite from a female attending the event. More information on London Girl Geek Dinners can be found on our website. Read recent event review
Women in the City (WIC), the annual networking Lunch for professional women working in the City and Canary Wharf has opened nominations for its 2009 Woman of Achievement Award. The Award is open to women working in one of the following 7 Categories: Accountancy, Alternative Investment,Financial Services, Insurance Services, Legal Services, Management Consultancy, Property & Facilities Management. The winner of each Category will be announced during October 2009. The overall winner of the Women of achievement award would have been selected from a short list made up of the Category Winners and will have demonstrated not only her leadership skills, but her ability to develop women in her own team, build and nurture networks and promote women's progress within her sector and the wider business world. The creator of the Women in the City Lunch, business networking expert Gwen Rhys, said that it was clear from the outset that the Lunch had a winning formula. The sheer energy and buzz created by bringing together several hundred like-minded businesswomen is indescribable. The introduction of the Awards last year not only draws attention to the issues facing career women in the City, but recognizes the promotes womens achievements to a wider audience and identify role models for future To make a nomination, book a place at the Lunch and for more information visit our website. Nominations now open for 2009 awards
CWC (City Women’s Club) is a selective investment banking networking club for senior women in the City. Their Vision is to create a stimulating and friendly environment within which senior women can learn from each other. To foster strong leadership among the members of the Club. To identify and address key issues for senior women in the City. To identify trends for change to which women in the City (and indeed all in the City) need to respond. To espouse, and support, good business practice. To underscore the focus on women’s careers at each of the investment banks sponsoring the club. In short, the Club is here to help women in the City succeed in their career and personal goals.
European Professional Women’s Network is a vibrant growing pan-European federation of more than 17 women’s network. Our common objective is to provide women with the tools, networks and support they need to assume leadership. We aim to share knowledge across Europe, and are participating in several Europe-wide initiatives. We combine a sophisticated online networking platform, linking several thousand business women across Europe, with regular, offline events in many cities across Europe. Click for latest events
Read Michelle Brailsford profile who runs the London arm of the EPWN
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