Bitter, embittered. In the back of his kitchen we are cursing because the lifelong rival has just made a jump that Armand Duplantis, even with his 6.23 meters on the pole, would not have succeeded: deputy director. New right-hand man of the boss. And to think that with his little grin he came to beg for advice and contacts because he didn’t necessarily feel up to the task! To thank by bending over for the team bonus while the others had better performance. It is not the first time. In the previous manager’s position, while we were on the rope to becoming a partner, we had our hair cut by a wolf who had never hidden his intentions and constantly prowled around the Codir’s entourage to make himself heard. See. Everywhere, she escorts me/And she follows me, step by step/She waits for me in front of my door/She has returned, she is here/Loneliness, solitude. Why does this Barbara song come back to me? Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, or WhatsApp have no secrets for me.
However, it is clear that many others have passed me by. Manager, but eternal second. “Networking is not just about shaking hands and exchanging business cards,” we read in the preface to the book. The power of caring networking (Librinova editions, November 2022), written by Mohamadou Deme, founder of Deme Agency.
Working on your identity
“As the Americans say for whom networking is an art of living, “networking is not selling”. That is to say, networking is not selling,” continues Biba Pédron, who practices and teaches networking, in this preface – and author of Stop Pitching & Start Networking! : Proven, effective networking strategies (that really work!) to boost your business (2015). This is the first rule of networking, even if we start from zero, in panic with two containers of items to sell, bills to repay, in terra incognita. Or alone in a party without having Tom Cruise and his team around you Impossible mission. Whatever the context, the goal is to build lasting personal and professional relationships.
Second rule that Mohamadou Deme, at the head of a consulting firm for business creators and entrepreneurs, has set for himself: “the reason for leaving”. What do we expect from networking? “You have to know yourself, know your values, describe yourself.” In short, work on your identity, without forcing the point or betraying yourself by inventing a superhero avatar if you are an average human. Work on your storytelling, say what you want about yourself, create a bond with this audience who will discover us. “Look at the founders of big brands,” advises the native of Kanel, Senegal. Luxury suggests quality, impeccable service with a very strong visual identity.
Exposure principle
Third rule: show up. “Networking means going in search of your future by building a network of diverse and varied knowledge,” says Mohamadou Deme. But be careful: networking doesn’t just go in one direction. “A network is a collection of people who help each other. Everyone has something to learn from each person in the network.” You have to take advantage of your opportunity: if you are encouraged internally to lead a meeting, you have to prepare as best you can and be proactive in making suggestions. Accept being exposed. You also have to provoke your luck by being present, available to be seen. The network is built everywhere, all the time, including externally: between friends, professionals, alumni, conferences. Physically, by choosing your interests and participating in an event once a week to make new contacts. Virtually, on the Internet. The two complement each other.
The fourth rule is to build your network methodically: identify contacts via the Excel database or specialized software. Categorize: company, telephone, email, address, country, website. Fifth rule: maintain it over time (feed LinkedIn with content) and through kindness. “Respect all people in the network; listen to the needs of others; show courtesy and politeness; make yourself available to those who need it; thank and congratulate a member who has helped you,” concludes the expert. And in moments of doubt, remember Corneille and the strength of the collective: “We left five hundred, but by prompt reinforcement, we saw ourselves three thousand, arriving at the port. So much, to see us walking with such face, the most frightened regained courage!” (The Cid).