Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Why It's Important to Network Within Your Company

Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon identify several reasons why it's important to network within your company in their article in Canadian HR Reporter. I'll share them here, along with my thoughts.

1. To keep in touch with what's going on in the organization (for example, reorganizations, new staff/management, business development)

2. To help the organization improve its bottom line. Even if you're not in sales. It's everyone's responsibility to help the organization succeed, in all ways that success is measured.

3. To venture into white spaces, or those areas between boxes on the organizational chart where projects are passed from one individual or department to another.

4. To improve organizational effectiveness and break through bureaucratic bottlenecks. Collaborating with others on projects not only can help your organization in many ways, but it provides opportunities for you to meet and get to know others with whom you might not have regular contact.

5. To expand your knowledge base. Identify what you need to know to perform the job you have now, in terms of individuals and resources.

6. To create your safety net. Your goal is to have opportunities come to you, and the way to make that happen is to reach out to others.

7. Identify what ways you can help the organization in addition to your current position. What special skills do you have that might be needed in your company? What can you do to let others know about such talents?

I'll share more from this article in subsequent posts. In the meantime, I welcome discussion on the issues outlined here.

(Six related posts continue this discussion of internal networking. Check out part 1part 2part 3part 4part 5 (this post), part 6, and part 7.)

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