What I Realized About My Own Networking Heading Into 2026
Clarity beats ambition and why I’m finally saying out loud what I want to work on next.
Welcome to issue #175 of The Introverted Networker. Every Tuesday, I teach you to be a better networker. My favorite part of the week is hearing from my readers, so leave a comment or ask a question, if you are so inclined.
If You Don’t Tell People What You Want, They Can’t Help You
I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I head into 2026.
Not in a vague, “new year, new goals” kind of way.
But in a very practical networking way.
I realized something uncomfortable but true:
For a long time, I’ve been clear in my own head about the work I want to do.
But I haven’t always been clear out loud.
And when you don’t tell people what you actually want, it becomes very hard for them to help you.
That’s not a mindset issue.
It’s an information issue.
I’m going to walk through how to get more specific about what you want out of networking so that people connect you with more opportunities.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
This issue takes about 6 minutes to read…
Why Saying It Out Loud Feels Like “Manifesting”
Some people call this manifesting.
You say what you want out loud.
You put it into the universe.
And somehow, things start to happen.
That can sound a little woo-woo.
Here’s how I think about it:
When you tell enough people exactly what you’re looking for, you give them a mental filter.
Now, when they hear someone else say,
“Do you know anyone who does ___?”
Your name pops into their head.
It feels magical when it happens.
But it’s not magic.
It’s memory.
People want to help.
They just don’t know how unless you tell them.
Where This Fits in My Networking Framework
If you’ve followed my work for a while, you know this shows up in Step 4 of my 5-step networking process: Be Easy to Help.
This is the moment when someone says:
“How can I help you?”
Most people freeze here.
They say things like:
“I’m just looking.”
“Anything helps.”
“Let me know if you hear of something.”
Those answers are polite.
They’re also useless.
Being easy to help means being specific and simple.
You’re not asking people to work for you.
You’re giving them clarity.
A Real Example: Words Matter More Than Job Titles
Earlier this year, I ran a webinar for franchise owners who sell medical billing services to physicians.
Here’s the mistake most of them were making.
They told people: “I help with medical billing.”
That’s not how physicians talk.
Physicians don’t walk around saying: “I need medical billing support.”
They say things like:
“My business is doing fine, but insurance claims drive me crazy.”
“I hate dealing with billing.”
“If someone could just take this off my plate, my life would be so much easier.”
Those are the words they use to describe the problems these franchise owners solve.
So instead of saying: “I do medical billing.”
A better way to make it easy for others to help is:
“If you ever hear a physician say, ‘I’m sick of dealing with insurance claims,’ that’s someone you should send to me.”
Now people know exactly what to listen for.
What I’m Personally Putting Into the World for 2026
This is where I’m taking my own advice.
I want to be very clear about what I’m looking to do next, and who I want to meet, so I’m saying it out loud here.
Not as a pitch.
As an example.
And yes, in case someone reading this knows someone who can help.
First, college career centers
I want to work with college and university career centers to teach students how to grow professional networks while they’re still in school.
Not networking events. Not career fairs.
Real, human, one-to-one connection skills.
So if you know someone who runs a career center, manages career programming, or designs student success initiatives at the undergraduate or graduate level, I’d love to talk to them about webinars or remote programming.
That’s a very specific ask.
Second, franchise owners with home-based businesses
I want to meet more franchise owners who rely on relationships and referrals to grow their business but don’t feel comfortable “networking.”
Especially owners who say things like:
“I know referrals matter, but I don’t know how to ask.”
“I’m good at what I do, I’m just not great at getting visible.”
“I hate selling myself.”
That’s who I want to help.
If someone runs a franchise network, supports franchise owners, or leads training for them, I want to talk.
Third, forward-thinking HR leaders
Through Retention and Rewards Partners, I want to work with companies that are ready to rethink employee listening.
Not just engagement surveys that produce scores and heat maps no one knows how to act on.
I’m looking for HR leaders and executives who say:
“We collect data, but nothing changes.”
“Our engagement scores don’t tell us what to do next.”
“We want to actually understand what employees believe and experience.”
If that sounds familiar, that’s the conversation I want to be having.
Why I’m Being This Specific
Notice what I didn’t say.
I didn’t say:
“I’m open to opportunities.”
“I’m doing a lot of things.”
“Let me know if you think of something.”
Instead, I gave people hooks.
Clear problems.
Clear audiences.
Clear language.
That makes it easy for someone to say: “Oh, you should talk to Greg.”
And that’s what good networking actually looks like.
A Simple Exercise You Can Do This Week
Here’s what I want you to try.
Don’t overthink it.
Step 1: Write the problem in their words
Finish this sentence:
“My ideal customer says…”
Then write one or two sentences using the words they actually use.
Not your job title.
Not your service description.
Their frustration.
Step 2: Translate it into an easy referral sentence
Now write this:
“If you ever hear someone say ___, that’s someone you should send to me.”
That’s it.
That sentence is how you become easy to help.
Step 3: Test it in conversation
Use it the next time someone asks:
“So what do you do?”
or
“How can I help?”
Pay attention to what happens.
You’ll feel clearer.
They’ll feel relieved.
And over time, opportunities will start finding you.
Not because you manifested them.
But because you finally told people what to listen for.
If you want help refining that sentence, this is exactly the kind of thing I work on with people one-to-one.
But even if you do nothing else this week, do this.
Say what you want out loud.
You might be surprised who’s already listening.