Last week I have attended an interesting networking event organised by Founders Alliance in Stockholm.
Founders Alliance, largely formed by Sweden’s most influential and experienced businessmen, aims to increase opportunities for Swedish entrepreneurs that enable growing and building sustainable companies through access to the necessary resources, inspiration and individuals in the network. Founders Alliance is operated and owned by the entrepreneurs themselves.
I strongly believe in the power of networking, as a business activity, which allows groups of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities.
The successful networking event should facilitate and encourage the development of close relationships between the members of its business community, where any business can be introduced to another potential supplier or purchaser through our network.
I really like Steve Job’s input about the Secrets to Success in Business and Life, which he explains in the video below.
However, networking is not as easy as it seems. Many people find it hard to overcome the intercultural barriers. For example, as I read in Forbes, Maryam Kouchaki, a professor at Kellogg School of Management, said: “The distance between cultures is so difficult,” Even when she simply wanted to tell someone that she admired their work, she froze up and then afterward, got the urge to wash her face and hands.
It is so called instrumental networking, where you try to make connections with the purpose of advancing your career, as opposed to personal, spontaneous networking where your goal is to pursue emotional connections and friendship.
Therefore, I recommend to watch the following TED talk by Michael Goldberg, who is an expert in the areas of networking, referrals, recruiting.