I dislike the term “networking”. Perhaps it’s because when I think of networking, I think of a bunch of douchebags trying to artificially “connect” with someone because of what they need, not because they have something of value to offer.

Most things in life come through the help of other people, which means that the stronger your personal & professional relationships, the more you and those around you will succeed. If you’re looking to take more than you give, you won’t get what you want and in the process, you’ll look stupid and piss a lot people off.

Most people think too hard about “networking”. Isn’t it really just about building genuine relationships that are mutually beneficial? It’s about helping. Not looking to get anything out of networking is one of the best networking techniques.

Stop networking for personal gain and strive to create win-win situations. You might be surprised what you’ll gain by doing so.