Network might be the most abused word in business. It is the complex gathering of organisations that aim to work together with the same goals and pursue similar, if not the same, objectives. Networks in business are based on cooperation among the parties, loyalty, trust, integration, and complementarity and may be based on sharing information, resources, tools, and human forces to increase competitiveness and innovation. Networking is the action implemented by the nodes of the net to make all the above happen.
You, or your organisation, might already be part of one or more networks, whether formal or informal, and some of them are related to EU funds, project design, and perhaps lobbying. There are official networks gathering members on specific topics, closely related to the job of a project manager, and others created spontaneously by organisations that, through time, have strengthened their relations transforming the practice into structured patterns.
As much as networking seems mandatory also for EU project managers, it is not always clear why and how to do it, considering that, in some cases, it might also require financial investment which shall bring an ROI that not always is easily measurable in our job. So, this is a reason to understand why, when, and how to do networking.
Why
There are several reasons why to engage in networking activities and entering nets of companies in our business field: strengthening business connections, getting, and exchanging fresh ideas, promoting your brand in the market niche, exchanging practices and learning from others, gathering resources, and making our efforts sustainable. In our field, project managers and their organisations might consider networking so as to benefit from exchanges, discussions, expertise on specific topics, and actions. To join forces when it comes to planning or implementing a project, to find expert human resources at times of a subcontracting activity, or when in need of consulting support.
At the opening of expected calls and deadlines, specific networking activities are due in times of preparation for bid submission with sharing of concept notes and identifying, among invited groups of organisations, which partner fits best to the idea and can carry the best know-how on the topic.
It is all about professional and organisational enrichment, vin-vin situations, positioning in the market, internationalisation of ideas and expertise, career, and – to some extent – corporatism.
When
Networking, which is the care of organisational relationships, is an ongoing activity that has a start and should not have an end. Usually, it starts on the day on which we are put in contact with other business referents, when we join a specific networking event, or when we are introduced to new partners in a meeting. Then it is a matter of maintaining the relationship, elaborating, and deepening common interests and initiatives, and finding a way for how the rapport can become fruitful, productive, and beneficial to both parties: our organisation and the group of organisations we are joining. There should be no end to networking because it might mean the end of our professional and business existence. As Porter Gale stated “Your Network Is Your Net Worth”: “our network can open doors to new opportunities and help you achieve your goals. This quote reminds us to invest time and energy into developing strong relationships. They are more valuable than any amount of money” (zapped.to).
How
As mentioned, networking requires investment on behalf of the referents of a company. It might not just be financial, but it demands human and emotional investment along with the necessary time. In other words, networking needs to be nourished and nurtured. How shall this be done by project managers?
Taking advantage of any chance for a quick communication with people in the network, for a quick update about the news in the organisations, for sharing the latest initiatives. A birthday, an upgrade in career, an anniversary of collaboration, or any event to send a “hello” note can function as a reminder of our relationship and our organisation. Social media facilitate this task since they very often notify us about the anniversaries of our contacts.
Inviting people to attend events or to be protagonists in events we organise in our company so to strengthen the ties among companies.
Visiting people, taking advantage of the TPMs of a project, and personally sharing some time with referents of different international organisations to discuss new project ideas, to get the latest about trends in the market, in education, in whatever our organisation is dealing with.
Participating, in presence (to be preferred compared to online attendance) to the events and gatherings which are organised and exploiting every moment of the meeting, from the official and formal ones to the unofficial (dinners, coffee breaks, informal meetings, commuting times, etc.).
Strengthening the network itself by, creatively, innovating its purpose: new goals, new initiatives, enlargement, and – if agreed by all – formalisation and structure to be implemented.
As MiSha – Michael Grifits once quoted “Networking is not collecting contacts. It’s planting relationships” and as such it comes with all the demands and the advantages of creating relations in life as well as in business. Proper attitudes and training are demanded by referents in networking. So much so that often I wonder if it is not just an activity, but even an art.