Networking without the hangups

Business psychologist Robert Myatt, director of Kaisen Consulting, explains how to set clear event networking goals and ensure that you achieve them. He sets out an easy-to-follow plan for your next networking event.

When economies take a down-turn, one of the things that will help you survive, even thrive, is the breadth and depth of your professional relationships. As someone once told me; “All things being equal, people would rather do business with a friend. Indeed, all things not being equal, people would still prefer to do business with a friend”.

Managing relationships has probably always been important to success in business, but today it’s absolutely vital.  With most organisations adopting complicated ‘matrix’ structures (i.e. you’ve got more than one boss to keep happy), and directors expecting more than just things done on time and on budget, being able to build and maintain a strong network is becoming as important as good project management.