TIN #098 - Easy Ways to Fit Networking into Your Daily Routine
Why The Eisenhower Matrix Is The Key To Networking Success
Hey there, fellow introverts!
Networking.
We all know it's crucial, but many of us struggle to make it a priority.
Let's break down why this happens and, more importantly, how to overcome it.
This issue takes about 4 minutes to read…
Before We Get Started:
My online course, “5 Steps To Grow Your Professional Network,” is FREE for all my newsletter subscribers. Learn the process I use everyday to grow my professional network.
Each week, I post a new podcast with tips you’ll find in the weekly newsletter and bonus stories, wisdom, and motivation. The Introverted Networker podcast is like the weekly newsletter but with additional narration and thoughts from me. Be sure to listen to this week’s podcast and check out the previous episodes of the podcast as well.
The video version of the podcast is available on my YouTube channel.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
One of my favorite quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson is,
"Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear a word you are saying."
This applies to a lot of things in our lives:
Fitness
Diet
Sleep
We say we want to improve all these things.
But, we don’t take action.
The quote also applies to networking.
We express a desire to network but fail to take actionable steps.
The Eisenhower Matrix: Prioritizing Networking
The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool for prioritizing tasks.
Here’s what it looks like (from James Clear)
It categorizes tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance:
Urgent and Important: Tasks you must do immediately.
Important but Not Urgent: Tasks like networking, which are crucial but often postponed.
Urgent but Not Important: Tasks that can distract you and should be minimized.
Neither Urgent nor Important: Tasks to delegate or eliminate.
Networking falls into the "Important but Not Urgent" category.
To actually get it done, you must schedule it into dedicated time blocks.
Decide when you will network.
Block out specific times on your calendar dedicated to networking activities.
Treat this as an appointment with yourself that you cannot miss.
Networking Without Real-Time Interaction
But networking requires talking to other people.
What if your scheduled networking time doesn’t align with other people’s schedules?
There are plenty of asynchronous networking activities you can do:
Create a Contact List: Identify people you want to connect with.
Send Messages: Reach out via email or LinkedIn. You don’t need them to respond immediately.
Follow Up: Reconnect with people who have previously responded.
Phone Conversations: Schedule calls during your networking blocks.
All of these activities will set your networking in motion and when you do connect with someone for an in-person conversation, you add that to your schedule in a dedicated time block.
See how easy that is?
Making Networking Manageable
Looking at all these networking activities can overwhelm you.
To avoid feeling this way, break down networking into smaller, easier tasks.
Here’s how:
Send One Message: Start with a single outreach during your time block.
Follow One New Person: Engage with one new connections on LinkedIn.
Leave One Comment: Interact with a one post or article.
Once you take a single step, you’ll feel accomplished and want to take more.
A Bunch Of Tedious Steps Or One Fun Step
In his book "Hell Yeah or No," Derek Sivers emphasizes making tasks enjoyable rather than tedious.
He says when you think of starting a project and all the tedious steps, you don’t want to do it. When you think of a project as one fun step, it’s something you’ll do.
When you approach networking as a series interactions you have with a bunch of people, it can seem tedious. You don’t want to do it.
But if you think of networking as having a conversation with a person you know and trust, it sounds like one fun step. It’s not as daunting.
Change your frame of mind and don’t overcomplicate networking.
It’s a simple human conversation.
Take Action and Share Your Success
Remember, networking starts with small steps. Schedule your time, simplify the tasks, and approach them with a different mindset.
Once you get started, it becomes easier and even fun.
Share your stories with me!
Let me know what's working and what challenges you're facing.
Your feedback helps me help you better.
Final Thoughts
Networking is crucial for creating opportunities.
Don't let it linger in the "important but not urgent" category.
Make it a priority this week, and see how it transforms your life.
Before You Go…
Always wanted to start a side hustle, but don’t think you have enough time? Check out my friend Jamie Northrup’s newsletter The Minimalist Hustler. He has loads of ideas for starting a side business that don’t take much time (he’s also a subscriber to this newsletter)!