Is networking important to your business? To your job in the company you’re working at right now? Is it important to you personally? Do you think it’s important to people generally? Why or why not, and what IS networking, anyway? When I refer to networking, I mean the establishing and sustaining of healthy, profitable relationships. Not just from a business point of view, but including personal relationships as well.

Do you like networking? Are you comfortable with the idea of going out to meet people you’ve never met before? What about deepening relationships with others in a deliberate sort of way? Why do you do that?

Networking had been given a bad name by people who are out to make more sales for themselves in the name of networking. Its image has been tarnished by those out to collect scalps by way of business cards as part of preening their fragile egos. People come up with all sorts of new terms to try and make networking reputable once more. I don’t think that’s necessary. If you’re comfortable in your own skin, there is no need to invent new terms just because some black sheep have muddied the waters.

Just go out there, establish relationships that are new, and keep the flame alive in others. You’ll be doing what’s right.