Networking.
Uncomfortable, dirty, exploitive and inauthentic. And that’s just for starters.
Most of us recognize these associations that people have about networking because we’ve thought these things too. Perhaps it’s because we’ve seen people who behaved in ways that were unattractive and then let it define for us what networking is.
“If that’s what it takes, I’m not doing it.”
Maybe it’s because we were led to understand early in life that those who get ahead deserve it because of their hard work. The heads-down, sleeves-up, get-down-to-it, don’t-waste-time kind.
“If I work hard, the right people will notice.”
Having an aversion to networking is common. So why do it if so many find it unappealing? Because to reach your goals, whether it’s influencing, getting promoted, finding allies for an initiative, or transitioning to a new direction, you need new people to make something happen.