Social media facilitates the connections. Each of us had a story to tell of meeting someone on Twitter which then further developed into more. Each of us had a story to tell of a blog post getting a reaction that then sparked a connection that then turned into something else. So I am not here to pooh-pooh the value of social media.
There are wonderful tools to connect with people. Twitter, Linked In, and Facebook are the three most common ones that come to mind, but not the exclusive ones. (Dating sites and other companion sites are pretty common too.)You can even get to know someone quite well through these mediums. But to me, to really know them requires a face-to-face meeting. (I have not yet heard of anyone getting married from an Internet relationship without first meeting face-to-face.)
There are alot of definitions of networking, from handing someone your business card to connecting with them on social media. But to me the core of networking is meeting face-to-face, going beyond the superficial, and truly understanding the person in front of you. By the way, this works very well in getting to know fellow employees better too.
So I encourage you to take the opportunity to invite someone you have been wanting to meet and invite them for a cup of coffee and a chat.
2 comments:
Good thoughts, Mike. Too few people do what you did, though: introduce people you believe would benefit from connecting with each other. To me, that is building social capital, which is an important human endeavor. And, we don't do enough of it these days, maybe because we think social media is enough. As you point out, at this stage of the game, it isn't.
You are right Barbara. One thing that is necessary to make this work is the willingness to take the time to do it. Many are not willing to do that.
I think it is worth it and I will work longer in the day to take the time to connect in person.
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