Strategies for Networking with Emotional Intelligence

Networking isn't transactional It's deeply human. 𝟯 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗜 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: 1️⃣𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮: A former founder & CEO reached out to share the sad news of a colleague’s passing. He thought of me specifically, knowing our mutual connection. It felt meaningful, someone cared enough to inform and connect. This led me to reconnect with others, sharing stories and memories, amplifying the empathy. ⭐Human connection matters, especially as AI becomes more prevalent.   2️⃣𝙀𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙀𝙭𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨: A new CEO network connection started a company aligned with a niche topic. Knowing how intimidating starting to do video on social media can be, I shared authentic examples of a successful influencer doing casual, low-key videos on their topic. It sparked inspiration. ⭐Sometimes the best encouragement is simply showing what's possible with real examples. I met this person at an event I was doing, to help another connection. 3️⃣𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙇𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙛𝙨: I sent an inspiring article about a European company's success to a few European CEOs who often doubt their potential without being US-based. Success stories that resonate directly address self-limiting beliefs. I offered to make an introduction to the CEO of the company the article was about. ⭐The article gives another point of validation and helps to make an introduction 'more' relevant to at least one of the parties. ✔Tip on making introductions https://lnkd.in/gR9Edfug 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄, 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹. I hope this gives you real life examples of what it means to build and cultivate a high impact network as part of your overall value as an executive and gives you ideas and inspiration.    𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠?

"You are so interesting to talk to!" My networking partner said this after our coffee chat last week. Plot twist: I barely talked about myself. For 45 minutes, I asked about her career transition. Her challenges with remote team management. What she was learning about AI implementation. I listened. Asked follow-up questions. Showed genuine curiosity about her experience. She did 80% of the talking. Yet somehow, I was the "interesting" one. This reminded me of something negotiation expert Chris Voss teaches: interested people are interesting!!! It sounds backwards, but it works. The best networking conversations I have had? I spent most of them learning about the other person's journey, not pitching my own. The strongest professional relationships I have built? They started with me asking "What's the most challenging part of your role right now?" instead of leading with my resume. Here's what I have learned about building real connections: Stop trying to be impressive. Start being impressed by others. Ask questions that matter to them. Listen like their answer will teach you something new. Because it probably will. The fastest way to become memorable is to make others feel heard. What's the best question you have been asked in a networking conversation? What made it so good?

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book