What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word networking?
Corporate set-up, connecting for professional growth, exchanging visiting cards, better opportunities, more success, greater visibility.
But what if you saw networking from a different angle, something all heart, where it’s all about humanity?
Because behind all those formalities and exchanges is basically relationships built on empathy.
Didn’t think of it like that, did you?
If you ask the young people, they’ll show you how many connections they have. Connecting and networking is just a click away.
But real connections is not the number of contacts you have stored away or how many people connect with you on LinkedIn or Facebook.
They’re built through interacting with people, knowing their stories, understanding their struggles and emotions, respecting them for what they know. It’s about seeing people as more than opportunities.
“True networking is not about who you know; it’s about how you make them feel.”
Emotional intelligence is not about going soppy and saying “I hear you”. Instead it’s about having the patience to pause before judging, about recognising feelings.
You’ve seen it many times on networking sites. You make a comment and before you can even say done, there’ll be people jumping at you with self-righteous indignation, posting rude offensive responses to your comment.
All that without even trying to understand what you’re trying to say.
Certainly not the recommended way to make connections.
Connection happens when you listen. Not just nod your head as you hear the words but listen to what is actually being said. Or read between the lines.
What True Networking Really Means
Being empathetic doesn’t mean you’ve to agree to everyone. No way. It means you try to put yourself in their boots before jumping at them with advices or suggestions or blocking them.
It requires growing up. It’s about learning to respect different perspectives while holding on to your own values.
It’s about having confidence in yourself. It shows you as having the maturity to hold a conversation or being able to collaborate with someone in spite of the differences.
Relationships can move from transactional to transformational if you interact with empathy.
It builds long lasting relationships which sustain over time.
Why Empathy Matters
And here’s why being empathetic matters. It makes you feel human once again. You learn to approach relationships with an open mind, a curiosity to explore without judgement.
Competition gets replaced by compassion. Connecting becomes an experience, not transactional. Builds a sense of belonging.
Being empathetic is a powerful communication skill which sets leaders apart. By learning to be empathetic, they learn to bridge differences, resolve misunderstandings, create a space where each feels equally at home.
The Network That Lasts
So the agenda for you is to teach the next generation to be empathetic, show them how to build real connections both online and in person.
Let them see for themselves that every connection they make with empathy will last a lifetime.
That’s because they’ll stand out for taking the time to build something meaningful. Instead of racing past or ahead, they’ll work to bring others along with them.
So what the first lesson you’re going to teach about empathy in interactions?
