The Second Benefit of Networking

The second benefit of networking is that it makes you smarter. We’re an amalgam of everyone we meet. It’s like a melting pot. You know, the more people you encounter, the more you get a broader base of experience. You know more things, more options, you learn a lot. When I was stupid, I was too busy to see people. Now I have learned that people enrich you, and every meeting is like an executive summary of their industry or capability. You simply know more services. It’s like having cliff notes. You get better raises and earlier promotions because you can provide added value for your company; you become the keeper, the “go to” person, because you’re resourceful. The intelligent person is always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them. If you network, you can stay topical. You can build your business and your brand for new trends like podcasting, blogging, and other internet innovations. So networking definitely makes you smarter.