{"id":25443,"date":"2025-10-14T12:15:46","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T12:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/?p=25443"},"modified":"2025-10-31T09:16:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T09:16:22","slug":"networking-an-investment-in-yourself-and-your-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/networking-an-investment-in-yourself-and-your-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Networking \u2013 an investment in yourself and your career"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>\nWhen you hear the word networking, what thoughts come to you?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cIt\u2019s not for me. I\u2019ve never really benefited from it.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI never know what to say or how to start a conversation.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI would rather spend my time on something more constructive. I\u2019m pressed for time anyway.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cUgh\u2026 I don\u2019t want to be one of those people.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI have enough of a network, thank you very much.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sounds familiar? You\u2019re not alone. For many <a href=\"http:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/womens-leadership-programs\/\">women leaders<\/a>, networking comes with a swirl of hesitation, scepticism, and mild existential dread.<\/p>\n<p>And yet\u2026 think about these questions for a moment:<\/p>\n<p>Have you ever been helped by an ex-colleague who remembered you fondly?<\/p>\n<p>Have you enjoyed helping someone you don\u2019t directly work with, just because you could?<\/p>\n<p>Have you felt good about reconnecting with someone from your past?<\/p>\n<p>If your answer to any of these was \u201cyes,\u201d then you\u2019ve already experienced the benefits of networking \u2014 possibly without even calling it that. Networking, at its best, is simply an investment in yourself and your career. And like most activities that create future wealth, opportunity, or happiness, we tend to put it off until it becomes absolutely necessary\u2026 or until someone else forces us to do it (thanks, Dad).<\/p>\n<p>Before we look at the what and the how, I think it\u2019s important to answer a <a href=\"http:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/stand-tall\/\">\u201cwhy\u201d\u2026\u2026Why do women find networking particularly abhorrent?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith offer an answer in their seminal book How Women Rise.<\/p>\n<p>Women, they argue, are often exceptional at <strong>building <\/strong>strong, authentic, trust-based relationships \u2014 thanks to social conditioning and communal instincts. But when it comes to <strong>leveraging<\/strong> those relationships for support, advocacy, or opportunity \u2014 even when the other person has clearly said they\u2019re happy to help \u2014 many women hesitate.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Because it can feel \u201cicky.\u201d It can feel like asking for favours. It can feel as if we\u2019re contaminating a pure relationship with self-interest.<br \/>\nHere\u2019s the truth: networking is not manipulation. Leveraging relationships is not using people. It\u2019s participating in the natural give-and-take of professional life. Most people actually want to help \u2014 and feel good when they do.<\/p>\n<p>When we don\u2019t allow others to support us, we\u2019re not being noble; we\u2019re often reinforcing self-limiting narratives about worthiness and reciprocity. Recognizing this is the first step toward more empowered networking.<\/p>\n<p><u>Ok, I get it but what do I actually do at a networking event?<\/u><\/p>\n<p>There are two broad types of networking that are worth mastering. The first is the <strong>one-on-one coffee catch-up variety<\/strong>. The second is the <strong>event networking<\/strong> kind, where you navigate rooms full of people balancing teacups, name tags, and hopes of not feeling awkward.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take them one at a time.<\/p>\n<p>In one-on-one networking, the biggest hurdle is often getting started. Someone reaches out to meet you, and you say yes \u2014 or perhaps, you\u2019re the one who wants to reconnect with someone from the past. The key here is simple: <strong>say yes more often.<\/strong> If someone invites you for a chat, accept. If you want to reach out but can\u2019t think of a grand reason, just say, \u201cI\u2019d love your advice on something.\u201d People rarely refuse a chance to feel wise.<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019re in conversation, focus on building reciprocity. Offer help where you can. Make it clear that the relationship is two-way \u2014 not a transaction, but a mutual investment. And yes, prepare a short, compelling way to talk about what you\u2019re up to these days. Think of it as a mini elevator speech \u2014 a blend of personal and professional that gives people a memorable hook.<\/p>\n<p>For example, at a networking event with the Mayor of New Jersey as the chief guest, one invitee began his introduction by saying, \u201cWhenever I visit New Jersey, I feel like I\u2019m visiting my in-laws \u2014 because of the amazing Gujarati food I get here.\u201d It was witty, warm, and personal. The Mayor referenced it in her speech later. That\u2019s the power of a short, well-crafted self-introduction: it sticks.<\/p>\n<p>Event networking requires a slightly different muscle. First, <strong>just show up<\/strong>. Yes, even on a bad hair day. The simple act of turning up at events you\u2019ve been invited to is half the work.<\/p>\n<p>Second, remember that the hardest part of starting a conversation is usually the first line. Luckily, it doesn\u2019t have to be profound. If you\u2019re stuck, here are some easy openers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cAre you drinking their tea or coffee? I\u2019m very particular about mine \u2014 I need your opinion first.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI loved your keynote. I particularly connected with the part where you said ______.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI\u2019m curious \u2014 what did you think about that last speaker? I liked the question you asked.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These aren\u2019t networking pick-up lines; they\u2019re simple invitations to connect as human beings. Most people are just as relieved as you are when someone makes the first move.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Before you go, take a couple of minutes to reflect on your current networking style<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Imagine a simple two-by-two framework (or even better, find a piece of paper and draw one for yourself).<\/p>\n<p>1.     On one axis, picture your willingness to build relationships &#8211; everything from saying yes to invitations, reaching out to old contacts, and showing up at events.<\/p>\n<p>2.     On the other axis, picture your willingness to leverage those relationships &#8211; asking for introductions, advice, support, or opportunities when appropriate<br \/>\nWhere do you fall?<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re low on both axes, networking probably feels like a chore you avoid until absolutely necessary. You may rely on serendipity and hope that your work speaks for itself. (It doesn\u2019t always).<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re high on building but low on leveraging, you\u2019re likely well-liked and respected, with a strong network &#8211; but you\u2019re not fully using that network to advance your goals. This is where many women sit, often feeling awkward about \u201casking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re low on building but high on leveraging, you might come across as opportunistic &#8211; the person who appears out of nowhere only when they need something. This quadrant isn\u2019t sustainable.<\/p>\n<p>The sweet spot is <strong>high on both building and leveraging<\/strong>. This is where networking becomes a natural, generous, mutually beneficial part of your professional life. You show up, you connect authentically, you offer value &#8211; and when needed, you ask without guilt. People respect that, and doors open.<\/p>\n<p>Networking doesn\u2019t require you to become someone you\u2019re not. You don\u2019t need to morph into the super-extrovert working a room like a politician at a fundraiser. What it does require is intention: saying yes, reaching out, showing up, offering help, and being willing to ask.<br \/>\nWhen you build and leverage well, you\u2019re not gaming the system. You\u2019re participating in a shared human web of support, opportunity, and generosity.<br \/>\nSo the next time you get an invitation to a networking event, or the urge to reconnect with someone flickers in your mind \u2014 say yes. Reach out. Ask. Offer. Build. Leverage.<\/p>\n<p>And when that small voice in your head mutters, \u201cUgh\u2026 networking,\u201d you can smile knowingly and reply, \u201cActually, I\u2019m investing.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"yellow-line\">\n<h4>About the author:<\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Lalana.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:100px;height:auto;float:left; margin-right:10px;\" \/><br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/lalana-zaveri\/\"> Lalana<\/a><\/strong> is a senior facilitator at Navgati, bringing over 25 years of diverse experience across Operations, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership Development. Since joining Navgati in 2013, she has delivered more than 500 leadership development workshops for global and regional audiences across industries. A certified MBTI practitioner, ICF-accredited coach, and Hogan assessor, Lalana is known for her dynamic facilitation style that blends psychological insight with practical business acumen. Participants consistently commend her for her ability to bridge theory with real-world application, through compelling examples, case studies, and storytelling. Outside of her professional life, Lalana is a pianist, actor, and fiction writer. An enthusiastic driver, she also enjoys mentoring others, especially women, in confident, assertive driving.<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr class=\"yellow-line\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you hear the word networking, what thoughts come to you? \u201cIt\u2019s not for me. I\u2019ve never really benefited from it.\u201d \u201cI never know what to say or how to start a conversation.\u201d \u201cI would rather spend my time on something more constructive. I\u2019m pressed for time anyway.\u201d \u201cUgh\u2026 I don\u2019t want to be one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-women-leadership-development"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Networking \u2013 an investment in yourself and your career - Navgati<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.rapidmind.in\/navgati\/networking-an-investment-in-yourself-and-your-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Networking \u2013 an investment in yourself and your career - Navgati\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When you hear the word networking, what thoughts come to you? \u201cIt\u2019s not for me. I\u2019ve never really benefited from it.\u201d \u201cI never know what to say or how to start a conversation.\u201d \u201cI would rather spend my time on something more constructive. 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