It has been said that networking will increase your life by forty years! That is pretty incredible. Let’s look at why. Human beings are social in their very nature. We long to be respected, admired and valued by those who we find are the most important people in our life. The other day we were discussing how the world of technology is changing how individuals interact. The fear that as time goes on, the art of human face-to-face communication may be sorely impacted.
There are so many different ways to network now; more than at any time in the history of the world. Today you can network without walking out the door. The phenomenon of Facebook, My Space, LinkedIn and Twitter are making it easier to expand our individual networks. With face-to-face networking you need to have a strategy for your networking efforts, otherwise you can easily spend a lot of time and your efforts will be fruitless in moving you forward with your professional and organizational goals. “A plan, like a tree, must have branches – if it is to bear fruit. A plan with a single aim is apt to prove a barren pole.” This is a quote from B.H. Liddell Hart that I came across years ago.