YES, NETWORKING HAS FAILED YOU.

Written on the 16 March 2018 by Janet Culpitt

YES, NETWORKING HAS FAILED YOU.

 

This is an open letter to business owners, families and communities across Australia.

I am sorry to say it - but yes - networking, as you know it, has failed you.

Whether you're a manager, employee, fresh out of university - or even a stay-at-home Mum, community leader, teenager or teacher: everyone has a need to network.

Networking isn't just about swapping business cards and securing deals. It's relevant for every person, from every walk of life. It's about connecting and building relationships in our lives.

I've built my career as an expert in this field - helping people from the business and community sectors understand how to better connect, work together and help each other.

Which is why I can confidently say that networking, as we traditionally know it, isn't working anymore.

Networking has become ho-hum, run-of-the-mill and, frankly, stale. People show up to breakfast events, sip a coffee, scoff a free breakfast and make a bee-line for the door as soon as time is called.

I want to see more people developing fresh, genuine, lasting relationships in their everyday lives - from boardrooms to playgrounds, and everywhere in-between.

I believe we can all work at making a shift from superficial, glossed-over conversations to really caring about each other - sharing experiences, ideas and learnings.

When is the last time you feel like you really connected with someone? Whether it was your children, spouse, employees, friends, managers or other community connections.

Taking the time to truly connect is what life is all about. And it's just as crucial in our communities as it is in our businesses.

The way the world is working and connecting is undergoing a major restructure - look at business, community and technology leaders like Facebook, AirBNB and UBER, to name a few.

In just the same way, we have to be open to changing the way we look at connecting with each other, and building real relationships in 2018.

Networking has failed us. It's time for us to look deeper - to contribute to building lasting relationships in our everyday lives and at every opportunity.

We all need to listen more, care deeper and take a long hard think about the true value of relationships in our lives.

We can all improve our lives and relationships - starting today. It's about being willing to think differently about what it means to connect and contribute to our community.

Commit to making a change in the way you network every day - with the postman, your local barista, children, friends, family and colleagues.

Let's change the course of connections and conversations across Australia - together. One day at a time.

Janet Culpitt

Relationships Expert | Master Coach | Master Networker

janetculpitt.com.au

Janet CulpittAuthor:Janet Culpitt
About: Janet Culpitt is a mentor for passionate SME business owners, looking to expand their business and create a successful plan for growth and sustainability. Her life long experience in the business industry and entrepreneurship, allows her to educate and lead her clients to developing impeccable skills in networking, forming long lasting connections.
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Some of my preferred networking partners