Let's agree to stop calling the act of seeking to make new connections "networking", and start calling it "business development".
Why?
Didn't you know you were in business?
It's your business to:
Develop your career.
Build new partnerships.
Create win-win opportunities for others and yourself.
Get creative about generating revenue.
Think strategically and analytically about markets.
Know your industry as well as adjacent and complementary ones.
Remember when you get laid off from a 9-to-5, they will tell you it's just business.
The best thing to do is to get into the business mindset, and recognize that relationships are fundamental building blocks of sustainable success.
And if you're not developing your own business, so you can create lasting relationships and broaden your options, then how will you win?
