Identifying your networking goals

- When you go to the grocery store, you usually have an idea of what you need. Maybe it's your weekly groceries or ingredients for a special dinner. What you would not do is wander into the grocery store without having an idea of why you're there. The same goes for networking. Identifying your networking goals is an important step in the networking process. It allows you to strategically and intentionally identify opportunities to meet people, and to plan the conversation topics you want to hone in on. If you don't define what you're looking for, you'll be left aimlessly wandering the metaphorical networking grocery store aisles. Let's look at the steps you can take to start identifying your goals. First, think about your micromotives. According to Todd Rose, in the book "Dark Horse", these are the finely tuned specifics of your own cravings, predilections and fascinations. Essentially, they're the topics and interests that excite you. Let's identify your micromotives. Once you know them, you can determine your networking goals. This will drive your strategy in building those professional relationships. Take out a pen or paper, or use a notebook tool found here in the platform and finish the following statements. Also, feel free to pause as you respond. I could talk all day long about, I'm better than most people at. If money didn't matter, I would be a, I want to be known for. After thinking through these questions, we can see how closely aligned to our current career is to topics that genuinely excite us. Reflect on what you would like to incorporate into your life or career, and use these thoughts to define your networking goals. You've likely uncovered a few gaps in what you're currently doing, versus what you want to be doing. This is where you have opportunity. Creating goals will hold you accountable, and allows you to make a game plan on how to reach them. So now write down three networking goals. Again, feel free to pause the video. These goals could be things you want to improve on to help you feel more fulfilled, or land the job of your dreams, or anything else that came to mind when reflecting on your micromotives. For example, if you answered the question, I want to be known for giving back to the community. And you're a patent law attorney, you might make a goal to schedule coffee with the head of the pro bono practice to see how you can get involved with cases that help organizations in need. When I went through my questions about my passions and interests a few years ago, I realized I loved public speaking. But at the time, I was a management consultant who didn't have any opportunities to give presentations. So I made it my goal to find ways to speak in front of large groups. I looked into organizations that needed presenters, and I built a relationship with the people who hire speakers. This led me to be a panelist at events in the community, which was something I loved doing and was naturally good at. Moving forward, think about ways to incorporate your micromotives into your daily work. You'll notice you'll start feeling more prepared to achieve your networking goals.