Is Networking a Verb?

Networking is Not a Verb

The word network is a noun.  You possess a network just like you possess a car.  You drive a car, you don’t go carring.  Your network is the result of relationship building.  You own a car and then you drive it.  You build relationships and then you enjoy a network.  There is only one way to grow your network, expand the list of people who know, like, and trust you.

If networking isn’t a verb, what are you doing when you attend a traditional “networking” meeting?  There are many appropriate verbs to describe what happens at a traditional networking meeting:

  • Socializing
  • Flipping (business cards)
  • Introducing (ourselves to strangers)
  • Drinking (a cocktail)
  • Chatting
  • Standing (alone in the corner)
  • Selling
  • Pretending (to care what the other person says)
  • Feeling (anxiety)

As you can see, many of these verbs are not positive, nor are they effective ways to grow your network.  So what’s a business owner to do?  The answer is simple.  Ban networking as a verb.  If you find yourself attending a meeting to “network,” don’t go.  The meeting will be a waste of time.  Instead, attend meetings with like-minded business people and focus on relationship building.  This is how you will grow your relationships and in turn, your network.

We created Level 7 Un-Networking to address the lack of business relationship-building opportunities.  To learn more about our process, visit www.unnetworking.com

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Auri Rahimzadeh
Auri Rahimzadeh
President, Auri Group
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