Do the British have a particularly negative perception of networking?
I have written about cultural differences when networking overseas in the past and come to the conclusion that there are actually very few areas in which one country can be distinguished from another when networking. This week though, I saw a big difference for the first time.
In many of my workshops I start by asking the participants for their existing view of networking. The responses will differ by industry and experience but one thing is common among groups in the UK and that is a negative perception. The only exception to this would be groups of experienced networkers, who already understand the positives.
Terms such as 'schmoozing', 'self-promotion', 'using people', 'manipulating people' and 'not being yourself' are common among the responses I receive. Sometimes I have to prompt a group for their negative perceptions but they are always there.
In Frankfurt on Tuesday, however, there were no such responses. I was working with a group of 25 employees of a medical manufacturing company. Some of the group had a sales role, others didn't. When I asked them for their perceptions of networking all responses were positive and showed a strong understanding of the range of networking activity and behaviour we would talk about.
I asked the group if they had any negative perceptions or experiences. At this point with a UK based group the floodgates would open. But they just sat there, looking at me as if I was crazy and shaking their heads! For this group networking is only seen as a positive thing and essential for their careers. The fact that the workshop was oversubscribed and people had been turned away was an indication of the importance they place on developing their skills.
I have seen positive changes in the UK in the last couple of years, with many more people recognising networking as a force for good rather than bad. Howver, an article written for the BBC website this week shows how far we really have to go.
Is a negative perception to networking a purely British thing? Is there a poor image of networking in other countries, did I just find a good company with a great attitude to work with in my trip to Germany?
Most importantly, are we changing that negative perception quickly enough and what do we need to do to improve networking's image in the public eye?
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I think it's the British
I think it's the British malaise, coupled with an increasing tendency not to socialise.
Thirty years ago, people worked closer to home, in the main, as factories were located near housing estates. They had on-site social facilities and people met up for lunch and enjoyed a social drink together after work. Networking was something we did automatically, we didn't give it a name.
The ambitious ones would join Rotaract or Junior Chamber, often encouraged by their managers. There, they would learn to improve presentation and communications skills and yes, network with others. Very few joined with the intention of 'networking', although most would admit to wanting to advance their career. Schmoozing was something American politicians did on the TV.
If we went to conferences, we'd be nice and British about it. No prolonged cheering, no untoward exuberance. Applauding an after-dinner speaker would be done by gently tapping your hand on the table, rather than "Whoop Whoop" noises.
Fast forward and we're still being British about networking. We no longer work close to home, our housing estates are built on the outskirts of towns and could be closer to a retail park than our office. We don't natter with the neighbours in the main; we're all too busy trying to fit in work, shopping and raising the kids.
We don't socialise as much any more - nobody's going to go for a drink/meal after work if they then have to drive 20+ miles back home. Very few companies have on-site social facilities; if you're lucky your company might give you a discount on a gym where you can ignore the other gym members. Rotaract and Junior Chamber groups are few and far between and seem not to be promoted by corporate management in the same way.
We British are developing a culture which avoids social contact, fuelled by long hours worked, long distances travelled and lower than inflation wage rises. Those of us that enjoy socialising with like-minded business owners are regarded with suspicion due to the association of networking with PR spin, hard-selling techniques, and the quiet desperation of trainee networkers who see contacts as money-boxes rather than future friends.
There needs to be a cultural change; I would be interested in your views on how we can move towards that.
Thank you for a fascinating
Thank you for a fascinating comment Anna, you've clearly put a lot of thought into this.
From a socio-historic perspective perhaps we have been conditioned to move away from community and mutual support and into distrust and secrecy. When I grew up everyone on my street spoke to each other and socialised (I'm not so old that we still left our doors unlocked!). Now you will get a 'hello' from a few familiar faces but many put their heads down as they walk past each other to avoid contact.
There also seems to be a culture of suspicion in some organisations when people network their way to promotion or success. You are supposed to just get on with your work and hope you get noticed when it's your time.
David Cameron has endured a lot of ridicule for this vision of 'The Big Society'. But we do need something to move us back to the spirit of community and mutual support and away purely from a culture of individualism and dog eat dog.
Different angles on
Different angles on networking
You raise an excellent point!
Could it be that the term "Networking" is perceived from different angles by different cultures?
The Brits might associate it with generating referrals while continental Europeans with collaboration and partnerships.
If I compare the participants’ questions from recent keynotes of mine in London, Sydney, Madrid, Grenoble and Barcelona, I would say that for Brits and Australians "networking" is mainly one step of the sales process ("referral generation") and a potential generator of collaboration/partnership opportunities. While for the continental Europeans it is the reverse.
From the British angle it is easier to get to the negative perception you mention in the post.
In fact, these different angles of perception are one of the reasons why I've entitled my book "Connecting Forward" and the term "networking" only appears in the subtitle.
Thank you for your comment
Thank you for your comment Jordi. I think that there is a lot of truth in what you say. "Networking" in the UK certainly has, for a lot of people, overtures of one person getting an outcome, rather than mutual benefit.
People are starting to see beyond this but it would explain the negative perception in too many minds.
The comments made so far to
The comments made so far to your article are so true and shed light as to WHY we behave as we do here in the UK with regards to networking.
I can now truly call myself an International speaker having 'performed' in some 26 countries around Europe, Eurasia, Baltics, Scandinavia and the Middle East and soon South America and China too!
As I continue to work with this 'International' hat on, I find that the further East you go (from the UK), the more importance is placed upon networking and social interaction as part of normal business dealings. In fact, in many countries it is the socialising that comes first and the discussions in the board room, second, with Asia being reknowned for this approach.
It is clear that the old adage "people do business with people" is alive and kicking in most of the countries that I visit outside of the UK.
I often go into social discussions with people with no plan or intended outcome (some would say with simply an incredible act of faith), however the results over the last 12 months have been nothing short of amazing.
The UK is such a cosmopolitan place that you would think that our approach to business would also be so - but that doesn't appear to be the case.
Perhaps with your continuing excellent sessions and workshops Andy, you can start to help the rather constrained 'UK approach' to loosen up a little, enjoy the pleasure of meeting people again without the 'hidden agendas' in tow and allow new business to flourish rather than try to orchestrate it.
Good luck, I am one of your biggest fans and wish you continued success in all that you do!
Many thanks for your comments
Many thanks for your comments and kind words Jozefa. It is interesting that we seem to have a cultural block in the UK to seeking help from our colleagues, friends and family. I do hope to see it change soon.
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