My professional career is built on client-facing roles. Past jobs (and my present endeavor) required the ability to work well with people outside the organization … over the phone, via email, during web meetings, onsite at live events, etc. This basic human quality has always been clearly stated in the job description and emphasized by every hiring manager. What hasn’t been screened for – and is also basic to human kind – is the ability to build an internal network, and employers should prioritize that skill.
With just a bit of thought it seems obvious: building relationships with colleagues is important. Very important: It’s critical to a positive work experience; without it, internal promotion is near impossible. But it’s not something companies put at the center of job requirements or new hire programs (that I’ve seen anyway, and yes I’m only 31, blah blah blah). It should be, because the high-performing colleagues I know, and would recommend to hiring managers, all have a strong internal network from which they can pull support for just about any of their day-to-day responsibilities.
The best example I can offer is from a former colleague at a research & advisory firm, Mary:
*Disclaimer – Mary had been working at the company for 8 years before I arrived. She had a lot of time to build her network…
… but, there were other people who’d been at the company as long as/longer than Mary, who did not have the same network. And Mary could get sh*t done. Quickly. Efficiently. In the research industry, the analyst is the product. Yes, clients purchase subscriptions to read the published reports; but the real value is engagement with the analysts. And to a certain extent, the analysts are in control of their time and bandwidth. They control a client’s access to their grid of knowledge. They can deny a call request (and they do), or turn away an onsite engagement because they’re too busy (happens all the time). When Mary would put time on an analyst’s calendar, the analyst accepted. Because they knew Mary; they’d met her in person; they’d talked on the phone. And Mary did not waste an analyst’s time with an unqualified client; or a request that fell outside the analyst’s scope of expertise. Mary made the analysts look good and they returned the favor. Mary was (is) a professional.
So, What Are The Barriers To Building An Internal Network?
Obviously, it’s vitally important to build an internal network. But it’s hard. Why is it hard? Here are five reasons favorably structured for search engines I’ve encountered:
–Building an internal network takes time; and if you try to rush relationship building it feels awkward and people disengage.
–Building an internal network requires genuine interest in others; and some people suck to be around.
–Building an internal network requires a reputation of quality; and it takes years to build a reputation, and minutes to destroy it.
–Building an internal network requires suspending your self-worth; and prioritizing the importance of other people is boring and can feel disengenuine.
–Building an internal network means trusting people; a scary proposition.
So, How Do I Start Building My Network?
Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Just kidding (but not really).
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