Seven Common Strategies for Building Your Networking Skills: A Guide for Peer Support Specialists

Merriam-Webster defines ‘networking’ generally as “the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions”, and specifically as “the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business”.

Many people dislike networking, or think they do.  The idea of networking may create concerns about social anxiety.  Many people tend toward being introverted and so may find the social contact of networking tiring or not particularly enjoyable.  Still others may think of networking as requiring them to be fake or strategic.

 Not all Peer Support Specialists need to be good networkers, but networking is important for many Peer Support Specialist roles.

1.     Peer Support Specialists often are helping clients meet new people and get involved in new groups and organizations.  The larger the network of connections that the Peer Specialist has, the more options they can offer to their clients.

 2.     Peer Support Specialists are often involved in outreach and engagement, helping people find their way into treatment and peer support.  The larger the network of connections that the Peer Support Specialist has, the more people there will be who can connect people in need of care to that Peer.

 3.     Social networks are a very important way that information flows between people.  By having a large network of connections, a Peer Support Specialist will increase the amount of information they are aware of and that they can use to help others.

 4.     Large social networks also help Peer Specialists to find better jobs and roles when they want to change.

A key article in the Harvard Business review has identified some Common Strategies for building Your Networking Skills(Gino, Kouchaki, &Tiziana Casciaro, 2016)

1.     See Networking as Related to Something Larger Than Yourself.  Most Peer Support Specialists are passionate about helping others recover.  If networking can help you do that more effectively, it will be easier for you to do it enough to develop solid networking skills.  You are not networking for yourself, but for your current and future clients.

 2.     Focus on Learning About Other People, Their Work and New Programs.  Healthcare changes rapidly.  If you are to be helpful to your clients, you want to know about what other people are doing and what new developments are coming.  Get curious about other people and use that curiosity to engage in conversations that help you learn about what they are doing and how it could help your clients.

 3.     Participate in Common Networking Events.  Most professional organizations have regular events that are designed to help people network.  These may be local or national conventions or professional meetings.  Committee work and other task-oriented group efforts also create great opportunities to meet other people by working on tasks with them.  These tasks create opportunities to talk and build relationships beyond the work.

 4.     Look for Common Interests.  Starting new conversations with people you don’t know will be easier if you look for the interests you have in common.  There are many people who have the same passions that you have and would enjoy talking with you about these.  They will want to learn about what you are doing, just as you want to learn about what they are doing. 

 5.     Recognize that Others Are Networking Too.  It is easier to introduce yourself to people you don’t know if you remember that most professionals are trying to network as well.  They want to meet people and so will be glad to have you introduce yourself and to talk with you.  Researchers have found that most people expect that other people won’t enjoy being approached, when in reality new contacts are usually welcome and go better than we anticipate.

 6.     Practice How to Introduce Yourself and How to Maintain Casual Conversation.  Think through what you will say in the first few sentences you’ll use when you introduce yourself.  What do you want them to know?  What is likely to spark their interest?  What can you identify as a likely shared passion?  Think about other topics that are likely to keep the conversation going.  Often this will be interests about work or problems with work.  It may also be shared topics as simple as weather, sports, travel problems, etc.

 7.     Learn from Supervisors and Peers Who Have Good Networking Skills.  Networking is no different than other work skills.  Some people are naturals.  I know several people who have very advanced networking skills.  They seem to know everybody and everything that is happening.  They are also very happy to talk about networking, how they do it and how they learned it. Find those people in your life and let them help you build your skills. 

REFERENCES

Gino, F, Kouchaki, M. & Casciaro, T. (2016). Learn to love networking. Harvard Business Review.  (https://hbr.org/2016/05/learn-to-love-networking; retrieved on 4/26/2024)

KEY WORDS: Peer Support Specialist, Professional Development, Networking, Peer Support Training, Peer Support Certification, Peer Support Jobs