Internal Networking: Why It’s Important And How To Do It Well

Driving Leadership growth in the region through a coaching approach | ICF Master Certified Coach | Founder Cupela Consulting.

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If you are working in a multinational corporation, you might have hundreds of colleagues working onsite with you and thousands more around the globe. How do you build relationships within a large organization like that? How do you decide whom to meet? And is it worth the effort?

Why and how do we network?

Generally, people network because the connections they make open up opportunities for exchanges. Many events are set up just to enable us to meet, exchange business cards and turn perfect strangers into potential business partners, clients or suppliers.

Internal networking, however, isn’t usually set up like that. So how do you go about meeting your colleagues? This depends largely on your corporate culture. You might have “just for fun” Slack channels, where informal conversations take place; you might have passion projects that include team members from across the organization; or you might be able to utilize your intranet. If your culture is not really set up to facilitate these kinds of meetings, you could go through LinkedIn or ask for an introduction from a colleague you both know.

What are the long-term benefits of internal networking?

If there is more informal communication between the departments, then picking up the phone or sending a direct message on Slack to a colleague from another department becomes a lot easier. And a quick check-in like that can go a long way to resolving cross-departmental issues before they get out of control. This can even lead to new solutions being discovered, as ideas from two departments and capabilities from two disciplines are combined. Last but not least, networking can help you garner the invaluable mentorship and support of a few powerful people in your organization.

How can we measure the value?

In order to not get overwhelmed with networking obligations, focus on meeting the right people — the ones with whom you can create win-win situations. In order to evaluate whether someone should be on that list, track figures like:

• Number of meetings scheduled vs. number of meetings canceled (and who canceled)

• Rating the usefulness of the relationship on a scale from 1 to 5

• Rating the trust on a scale from 1 to 5

• Support gained in meetings, emails, on Slack, etc.

• Support given in meetings, emails, on Slack, etc.  

Remember that the value might be in abstract learning, like seeing emotional intelligence modeled, having someone you can open up to about your struggles, etc. Or maybe this person is an excellent networker and can introduce you to a large number of other people, thereby opening many doors for you.

How can we stay motivated?

The long-term benefit of internal networking might only become clear after several weeks, or even months. Keeping track of the above measurements can help you stay the course, as it will illustrate the progress you are making and also remind you of the changes that have already taken place.

In my experience, our memory is not very reliable, especially when it comes to small, incremental changes. It is easy not to notice them as they are occurring day-by-day, much like when you watch a child growing up. Going back in your notes and looking at the starting situation will, however, remind you how far you have come already. This is great motivation to keep going.

On the other hand, if you see that the scores are not going up, it’s an indicator that it’s time to either think of a different strategy to improve the respective relationship or decide to invest your energy in other, more rewarding relationships.

Here are a few tips on how to stay motivated:

• Find the fun in it. What hobbies and interests do you share that can make networking more enjoyable for you?

• Where/how can you meet? How about a networking dinner or taking a personality quiz together? It’s important to get to know the whole person, not just the work persona and it can — again — add the fun factor.  

• Gamify it. Set some goals and rewards for yourself. For example, if you network successfully with five people, you reach level two, which means you can treat yourself to a nice lunch. If you get an invitation to participate in an event with at least three people from the C-suite, you reach level three, which equals a new pair of shoes.

• Initiate some new event formats to keep things interesting and interactive. 

What makes a good (virtual) networker?

Whether you’re networking online or offline, preparation is always key. First of all, be clear on your objectives for networking. Next, find out who will be in attendance and what their background is. Do your research.

During the event, be confident, but humble. It is important to ask a lot of questions. Wait for a natural opportunity to bring up your skills or services. Play to your strengths by all means, but don’t brag or take over the conversation.

Remember to follow up with anyone you want to build a relationship with after the event. It helps if you have already set an expectation during the meeting that you will be in touch.

Here are a few things that can help you become a better virtual networker:

• Build a great online profile for yourself and keep it up to date.

• Stay up to date on tools that are used for online interaction like Google Meet, Zoom, etc.

• Make sure that your tech is working ahead of time and that you have a backup solution, including a backup for internet (like a hotspot) in case your wifi stops working.

• Wear professional clothes and have a clean background that is not distracting (or use a virtual background when possible).

Getting to know your colleagues can be fun and help your career. Put some effort into your internal networking and measure the outcomes, and I believe you will see it pay off soon enough.

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