Networking
Value first
Be useful before being needy.
Building a professional relationship you may want something from later.
The shape
- Understand the person
- Identify what is relevant
- Contribute something
- Build the relationship
A worked example
Instead ofCan you refer me?
Understand their work first, then identify a resource, an introduction or an insight you can genuinely offer.
What usually goes wrong
Performing generosity as an opening move in a transaction. People can tell, and it costs more than asking directly would have.
Mostly serves Connection, and reaches into Intent.
A framework tells you what shape the answer takes. It cannot tell you whether shape is what you are short of, and for most people it is not. Which one is yours, and whether a framework is the right instrument at all, is what a Discovery Call is for.
Take the AssessmentOr read the whole glossary first.