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Networking is definitely a broad-church term encompassing online/offline; internal/external; work colleagues/friends; and acquaintances/family. But how do we grow our networks without looking narcissistic and shallow?

Ibarra and Hunter (2007) say that networking is about “creating a fabric of personal contacts that will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information”. But many managers, from their study of 30 managers, find networking insincere or manipulative and fail to utilise their contacts effectively. Being time-poor is also an issue.

Singleton and Tarnowska (2010) answer to this is that you should learn to cultivate your relationships whether they be from work, school, college, home or clubs. Probe, ask questions, be interested and share information. Keep in touch, and offer relevant information such as thought-provoking articles, and tips, as and when appropriate. There is no point just collecting more and more business cards and LinkedIn contacts if you are not willing to make an effort to build on your relationships.

There is also the issue of working out how to manage your networks. Ibarra and Hunter (2007) suggest that there are three main types of networking: operational, personal and strategic. Operational networking is about good working relationships both internal, such as peers and superiors, and external, such as suppliers and customers, to the organisation. These connections are relatively straight-forward in the sense that everyone is connected to the organisational network so there are obvious synergies in working with one another even if the relationships are not always easy.

Personal networking encompasses connections made through professional associations, clubs, personal interest groups and alumni. These connections are made out of choice. Ibarra and Hunter (2007) state that this group provides important referrals, information and development support. It can also create a good basis for strategic networking. The issues with personal networking are that you are most likely surrounded by like-minded people who you share personal interests with. Therefore it becomes difficult to work out how valuable this type of network is. It can also reinforce mind-sets.

Strategic networking, however, is about creating inside-outside links for future business and functional purposes. These types of connections can be political, but if you are not in touch with the “bigger picture” and aspire to leadership roles, you can often lose out to someone who is. Strategic networking also requires a lot of time and dedication. It is often one of the reasons given for why women rarely reach a board-level position in an organisation. Balancing the demands of family-life with organisational development is no easy task for anyone.

For the novice networker, Ibarra and Hunter (2007) suggest finding a networking role model and watch and learn. Maybe find an outside interest, say the cinema, and find ways of encouraging it within the organisation and with clients in order to find time to interact with them. Re-allocate your time and workload effectively to find time to network and connect. Nurture your connections. The benefits of networking take time and need constant gardening. In time, it will bloom.

References:

Ibarra H, & Hunter M (2007). How leaders create and use networks. Harvard business review, 85 (1) PMID: 17286073

Singleton, T., & Tarnowska, I. (2010). Take Networking to the Next Level Strategic Finance (February), 19-20

I’m so glad that I have found Herminia Ibarra (2002) articles. She has a lot of useful comments on personal and career development. She is also very practically focused, which suits my EBI requirements. Ibarra (2002) also has a different take on the whole career redevelopment approach, which is outlined in her Harvard Business Review article “How to stay Stuck in the Wrong Career.

Ibarra (2002) believes that instead of wasting too much time planning, analysing, and researching career change options, you should take action first and work through the results iteratively afterwards. Through an action-oriented approach you can adapt, regroup your thoughts, and reorient your pathway from real-life experience. This means that your career change is never a pipedream that is too risky to implement because you are actively pursuing change. You have real-life information on which to base a decision.

It’s also a good way of exploring our many different “selves”. Ibarra quotes research from cognitive psychologist Hazel Markus (1986), Possible Selves, which explores the idea of multiple adult identities formed in the present, past and future. Ibarra argues that her own research reflects this idea that we have many identities. Her career-change subjects identified job opportunities that arose from volunteer opportunities, married life, and networks outside of the workplace. Some subjects had wild ideas of becoming tour guides or scuba instructors whilst others found identities in the non-profit sector. Ibarra does not believe that we can find our one “true self” and that too much introspection will amount to nothing more than daydreams. It’s action that counts.

The approach Ibarra (2002) recommends in anyone’s career change action is called “the practice of working identity”. This is a practice of applying effort to reshape our identity. This skill is one that Ibarra (2002) says can be learned by anyone seeking professional renewal. She calls this the “test and learn” model of change.  Ibarra advocates three main ways of a working through a career-change process: crafting experiments, shifting connections, and making sense of your journey.

Through crafting experiments we can test out new activities and professional roles in small manageable ways. Find an opportunity to learn a new identity through a related work project, a volunteer option, further training, or by freelancing. Concrete experience is what is required if you really want to move in a new direction.

Although feedback is a good way of gaining insight into your personality and ways of working, in practice, people who are too close to us have their own biases and agendas. They can have a vested interest in keeping the status quo. Networking away from our friends and family and current workplace, shifting connections, can provide a necessary new perspective on what is achievable. It may even open you up to new possibilities that have not been considered.

Making sense of your change requires a narrative to explain your new direction. What triggered your epiphany? What were the defining moments? How did you get there? By creating a personal narrative, we can explain our new direction to others and believe in it ourselves. It also solidifies the action taken and defines your purpose.

Ibarra (2002) concludes that those that successfully reoriented their career pathway took smaller steps that allowed them to learn from experience. Nobody in her research followed a linear pathway. She states that most career transition takes three years and it must start with action.

Overall, Ibarra has given me lots to think about. Despite her research being based on only 39 career-change case studies, I think she has a point in stating that you must actually take action if you want to change. It links very nicely with Kolb and Fry (1975) experiential learning cycle, which is about learning from action, reflecting, and then implementing further change.

So far, I have already filled in an online career inventory with CASCAiD, http://www.cascaid.co.uk/ . That has given me a top 20 list of roles that it claims I am suitable for, some of the roles I have already thought were possible. I also have an MBTI profile. And I also have various opportunities to network with others either through volunteer opportunities or networking groups. I guess it is time to start taking action!

References

Ibarra H (2002). How to stay stuck in the wrong career. Harvard business review, 80 (12) PMID: 12510536

Kolb, D.A., & Fry, R. (1975). Towards an Applied Theory of experiential learning Theories of Group Processes, 33-57

Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible Selves American Psychologist, 42 (9), 954-969