Networking

In the last few months, I've been thinking about the idea of networking and wondered am I someone :
a) who meets people with the intention of creating my networks to pursue my professional career/ personal intentions
b) or do I network with people because I genuinely like them ?

There are social networking sites like Facebook, Friendster, Linked up have managed to bring people all over the world to meet and rekindle past friendships (or not...as some cases may be..) but there is also the more traditional networking methods like going out and meeting new people.

In our childhood, we create our networks through school friends, neighbourhood friends, clubs which we participate in...Some of the people in this network continue to be close friends or merely acquaintances whom we may meet once in a while and bump into each other later on in life.

During uni , we tend to network through social functions,hallmates and lecture mates. Some later become workmates and even soulmates.

In the workplace, we have our professional working network i.e. colleagues, clients that we meet and our social network from sports or leisure activities that we participate in.

So do I network for professional reasons or because I genuinely like the people I meet? Personally, I would only keep in touch with people if I genuinely did like them. Even if it was someone who has good business networking contacts it wouldn't be someone I would keep in contact with if that person didn't have the characteristics I was looking for in someone. You wouldn't want to make business with someone if they didn't have the right business ethics as you right?

We meet so many people in this world with different intentions in life. Sometimes I wonder whether I have the sensibility to identify when someone sincerely wants to make my acquaintance because of me or whether they want something from me?

There are only a few people in this world that we meet in our lifetime who will accept you as you are no matter what you have done in the past or will do in the future.

I think networking is a great thing but one should always have the cautious head at the back of the mind assessing the character of that person. Some people think that by networking we can get people to do favours for us in times of need.

I think that there are situations in life where we may need to get help from someone. I dont think there is anything wrong with that if that person is helping you out because he/she is genuinely helping you because you are a friend. This is all, however, within reason. E.g. if you were looking for a job and had some network contacts you would only be able to recommend that person if you truly believe that person can excel at the job and has the qualities which the employer is looking for. It wouldn't look good and unprofessional if you recommended someone who is truly not capable of completing the task right?

The scenario is different if that person is helping you out because he/she wants something in return afterwards. I think that is pure selfishness. One should give something to someone with sincerity and no conditions attached.

Relationships be it between husband/wife, boss/colleague, parent/child is a 'give and take' relationships. There has to be equal respect for both parties for a successful relationship.

This is the same with networking. There has to be mutual respect for both parties.

In conclusion, where am I? I meet new people in my life and I make their acquaintance if I believe they are good people in character and the networking side of it will come as a secondary thing. I hope that my acquaintance/friendship with them has no time limit or conditions attached to them since my intentions are truly sincere. I hope other people will do the same with me...