profile

Networking: A New Manifesto

Well that was awkward.... (and more ideas to help you cultivate connection)

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Hello friends,

For those that missed the news last Friday, I’m starting a new series today—three ideas each week to help you build connection in your life. I will send these via email to subscribers each week and post on LinkedIn. The online posts allow for discussion and reflection, so please let me know your thoughts online if you'd like!

Here are three ideas that might help you cultivate connection in your life this week.
​
1️⃣ Embrace the awkward
​
My golden rule of human interaction (I’ll probably come back to this often) - it's meant to be awkward. No one, not even the self-proclaimed superconnectors and networking experts, finds interacting with others easy. (If they do, they may be lacking in empathy.) So, embrace the awkwardness. Genuine human connection arises from the awkwardness. If it didn’t, all interaction would somehow feel superficial. Consider: if you approached building human connection with the expectation of experiencing some awkwardness, how much would your outlook change?
​
2️⃣ Follow your curiosity and unfinished conversations
​
Reach out to someone you met at an event where a conversation felt as if it ended abruptly. Networking events and social gatherings are filled with these fleeting interactions. Many conversation threads start but find tangents or interruptions before reaching their natural conclusion. If this happens to you, take the initiative to reach out to the person and suggest a coffee, a Zoom call, or whatever works. I did this recently, and a wonderful and surprising conversation came from it.
​
3️⃣ Honour your rhythms and limitations
​
When it comes to networking, know your limitations. If your circumstances dictate that you can’t attend events at a specific time, don’t beat yourself up about it. Personally, I can’t attend morning events due to kids and early morning commitments, and many evenings for the same reason. I’d love to, but I just can’t. For others, daytime events are impossible due to work commitments. Attending events can also be a huge energy drain for some people, especially introverts, so honour that. Do what you can, find events you can attend and make the most of those. You don’t need to be everywhere - often more important things are happening that need your time. There is little to gain by trying to be everywhere.
​
I’d love to know which idea resonated most with you. Let me know by hitting reply or commenting via LinkedIn.

Until next week,

Anna

​

Networking: A New Manifesto

By Anna McAfee

Exploring the intersection between digital connection, community strategy, local communities, belonging, permaculture principles, sustainability, and psychology. My work analyses the systems that prop up our current networking practices and looks at practical steps we can unlearn to build stronger networks that serve both people and the planet.

Read more from Networking: A New Manifesto
Two birds on a wire facing away from one another

Here are 3 ideas to help you cultivate more connection in your life this week 👇 1️⃣ Selling services on social media If there is one trend I’ve seen growing over the past few years, it's the reluctance of people to buy from service-based businesses solely based on social media. While products on social media still seem appealing, service-based businesses need to look beyond socials. Relationships, and that means networking, are key. A post might generate likes and engagement, but ask...

5 days ago • 1 min read
A row of many birds on a telephone wire

3 Ideas to Help You Cultivate More Connection This Week 👇 1️⃣ Champion the Authors You KnowBooks have been on my mind this week, specifically books by people I know. After almost 8 years creating content on LinkedIn, I've had the pleasure of getting to know several authors. I also co-authored a self-published book nearly five years ago, so I understand the work, love, and sometimes pain that goes into writing. One lesson I learned from my co-author Nicole Johnston (who sadly passed away last...

12 days ago • 1 min read
A bird on wire at sunrise

✨ Here are three new ideas to help you cultivate more connection in your life this week ✨ 1️⃣ Stop "Networking" – Start Community BuildingIf the word "networking" makes your skin crawl, you're not alone. The term has become loaded with expectations of forced small talk and transactional relationships. Here's the thing: you can drop it entirely. Not the activities, drop the word.Instead, think of it as community building. This reframe will help you approach it differently. Community building...

19 days ago • 2 min read