The pandemic has permanently disrupted our meeting rituals. Traditional networking, made up of handshakes and coffees at conferences, has found itself confined. Today, the arena of exchanges has shifted: videoconferencing, social networks and hybrid digital channels have become the norm.
In this incessant flow, the challenge is significant: your product or service must capture attention. But in a world where there are now more than a billion members on global professional networks, how can we not be just another notification?
An average user displays more than 930 contacts. However, this figure remains an empty shell if these connections do not transform into lasting relationships. This is where Robin Dunbar’s thesis comes into play. This Oxford anthropologist theorized the “Dunbar number”: 148. This is the cognitive limit of the number of stable relationships that an individual can actually maintain. Even more striking: of these 150 people, less than 30 make up our close circle.
Therefore, a question arises: should we opt for precise networking, or leave room for the unexpected?
On the vital importance of networking: the key to the “hidden market”
Why seek to extend this circle? Because the porosity between professional sphere and private life is a strength. Recent analyzes of the job market confirm that networking is no longer an option: it is estimated that nearly 80% of professional opportunities are never published in the form of traditional advertisements. This is called the “hidden market”.
A contact in a competing company or an exchange with an expert from another sector can become the catalyst for a career. “Networking” is the art of opening doors before they are even visible in the market.
Free network or planned agenda: the manager’s dilemma
For an executive or business leader, managing your network is an exercise that is as delicate as it is essential. We meet faces at conferences, we lead passionate discussions… All these interactions deserve to be maintained.
However, networking often resists rigid planning. We do not manage a human relationship like we manage a production line. Networking that is too “organized” risks appearing opportunistic and loses authenticity. Conversely, free networking is part of a natural vision. Workplace behavior studies show that direct referrals remain the most effective conversion channel, proving that it’s often the spark of an impromptu encounter that creates the lasting opportunity. The best alliances cannot be programmed; they seize each other.
Simplicity and honesty: your best assets in the face of automation
In the age of artificial intelligence, authenticity becomes your safe haven. While tools can automate your messages, they are no substitute for trust. The current trend shows a massive return to “Human-to-Human”: professionals today place significantly higher value on physical interactions and verbal recommendations than on cold digital solicitations.
Whether you are the head of a small business or a manager, don’t see the other as a simple lever for growth. Reaching out to diverse personalities is a major competitive advantage. Networking requires clear human qualities: empathy, listening and transparency.
Demonstrate these qualities, do everything possible to build a solid network of real acquaintances, and your career will take a turn that you do not even hope for today.yes.
