To Lead Better, Be More Effective at Networking

Just about any leader can benefit from networking to get develop, gain insights and test ideas. But not all networking is good networking. Be careful that you don’t waste your time by making connections that don’t bring you positive results.

According to Leadership Training Program best practices, avoid the following common mistakes:

• Spreading yourself too thin. Do not measure your success by the number of connections. Superficial networking is of little value. You want to meet people with whom you can develop a deep and meaningful business relationship.
• Adopting an ingenuous persona. Do not fake it just to meet people.  Be true to who you are. Some will read through your insincerity. Others will learn that you were adopting their values and interests only to gain their trust. In both cases, you are the loser.
• Looking for your clone. If you only seek the advice of those who think as you do, you miss out on the opportunity to think differently and gain diverse perspectives. 

Networking can boost your ability to lead and your business…IF you do it right.