From the course: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking

The Y-axis: What is the focus (me or others)

From the course: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking

The Y-axis: What is the focus (me or others)

- Another way to evaluate the impact of networking activities is to consider how much it focuses on others versus yourself. I teach at a law school. That means I'm giving back, I'm building relationships with students who may eventually become my clients or refer work. Many activities will be benevolent and help others, but not necessarily help build network capital. Take a look at the Y-axis on the left side. That's how much an activity relates to you versus how much it might help others. Being on the board of a nonprofit might help a lot of people, but it might not advance your network, grow your business, or add meaningfully to your career in any way. Being on the board of a for-profit company may lead to other board positions, and those boards are populated by successful business owners, investors, and help you build a network of very smart people. Likewise, volunteering for the board of your industry organization or a trade event may put you in the know and help you meet many who would love to be in your network. Here's the thing, you want to be sure your networking hits the bullseye. That means being honest about how much time you spend on something and focusing on things that maximize the return on your time.

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