19 ways to approach networking

Personal networking can help grow your business, but it can also help you grow as a person and a leader. The key is in how you view it. For some, it is a necessary evil—collecting names and LinkedIn connections like a dance card. For others, it is no game—it is getting to know someone on a genuine basis, even if it will never help them. We asked our Fast Company Impact Council members about the role personal networking plays in their own growth strategies. Not surprisingly, many had thoughts about it, and those thoughts are insightful. 

1. PRESSURE-TEST IDEAS 

Personal networking is how I pressure-test ideas, spot patterns early, and learn from leaders navigating similar change. In an AI-driven world, no one has all the answers. Candid conversations with CHROs, CEOs, technologists, and emerging talent sharpen my judgment and expand my perspective. I view my network as a learning community that accelerates adaptation and keeps my leadership grounded in real experience. — Jacqui Canney, ServiceNow 

2. CONTRIBUTION COMPOUNDS 

I’m not a traditional networker. I’m just genuinely curious about people. My philosophy is simple: Add more value than you take in every interaction. If you approach relationships that way, the network builds itself. Some of that value comes back to you. Some of it doesn’t, and that’s fine. The goal isn’t extraction. It’s contribution. Over time, that compounds. — Elery Pfeffer, Nift 

3. TALENT RECRUITMENT 

My top priority as CEO is talent recruitment. The best executive talent isn’t found on job boards like Indeed; it’s built through genuine personal relationships where trust and cultural fit are already established. Investing time in meaningful networking is one of the highest-ROI activities one can do. — Jeff Peel, Tactacam 

4. TRUST, INSIGHT, AND REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES 

Personal networking plays a significant role in my growth strategy because trust, insight, and real-world experiences are three of the most important elements of any relationship. In a field like organization design, these relationship fundamentals are mission critical. Showing up in person at conferences and industry gatherings is non‐negotiable for me because it opens doors to new connections, perspectives, and insights in ways that digital channels do not. Ultimately, staying close to decision‑makers and emerging trends through these networks helps us continually evolve how we drive impact and deliver results. — Alice Mann, Mann Partners 

5. IQ PLUS EQ 

Personal networking is our most durable growth lever. Clients are hiring people, and they are choosing based on conviction and chemistry. Our differentiation is IQ plus EQ, especially in a landscape where AI makes solutions feel interchangeable. We invest intentionally in the rooms where real connection happens: small dinners, curated summits, repeat moments in the same cities. We show up to exchange ideas and not to pitch. The business follows the trust. — Peter Smart, Fantasy 

6. EXPOSURE, NOT TRANSACTION 

I don’t think of networking the way most people frame it. It’s not transactional. It’s exposure. I want to be around people who think differently than I do. Different industries, countries, backgrounds. That’s where growth comes from. I’ve learned as much from a restaurant owner in San Sebastián or a founder in Stockholm as I have from music executives. Patterns are everywhere if you’re paying attention. The best ideas come from applying something from one world to another.  If I stay in one circle too long, my thinking narrows. Relationships keep that from happening. They stretch you in ways that are hard to measure but very real. — Logan Mulvey, GoDigital Music 

7. YOUR NETWORK AND REPUTATION ARE KEY  

We’ve moved from a knowledge economy to a network economy really fast, just in the past few years. When intelligence is unlimited (aka GenAI), who you know and your reputation among your peers is all you have left. The word “networking” comes with baggage because you have to be invited into the room first, and navigate the room with ease. Both things are harder for minorities, and yet all the more important. That’s where the benefits of a network like Fast Company Impact Council multiply. — Hala Hanna, MIT Solve 

8. A COLLECTIVE BRAIN TRUST 

As a leader, you’re paid to have great judgment, not to have all the right ideas yourself. You get that from a diverse network of people. I see it as the critical second piece of leadership, acting as a counterweight to technology. While AI is a huge focus, the value of human connection hasn’t changed in thousands of years. I view my network as a collective brain trust. My global background taught me that a wider aperture—across roles, countries, and industries—definitely leads to better judgment. Ultimately, human connection remains the foundation of good judgment. — Tony Grimminck, Scribd, Inc. 

9. BUILD TRUST AND DEMONSTRATE VALUE 

Personal networking is a muscle and it’s one I try and use every day to grow and nurture relationships. Whether it’s reaching out to an old colleague, having a virtual meet and greet with someone new, or attending an event, I show up with curiosity and genuine interest in what people are working on. My goal is to give, not to add them to my pipeline. By showing up as myself, with care, I build trust and demonstrate value, and business often follows. — Randi Lee, Lucas Advisory 

10. CONNECTING OTHERS AS A PUZZLE 

Personal networking is foundational to my growth strategy. I am a connector at heart and see it as a puzzle: Who should know each other and how can I empower them? Networking is not transactional. It is about building long-term relationships rooted in trust, generosity, and shared value. When you consistently show up for others, opportunities follow. Do not be afraid to reach out. There will be rejection. Develop thick skin, recover quickly, and stay humble. Resilience without ego is the differentiator. — Meredith Rosenberg, NU Advisory Partners 

11. ONE GENUINE CONNECTION AT A TIME 

Go to events you are actually interested in, that will have like-minded people having discussions you can meaningfully contribute to. It’s far better to make one genuine connection—dare I say a friend—than to indiscriminately gather 1,000 new LinkedIn contacts. — Lindsey Witmer Collins, WLCM Studio 

12. PEER COMMUNITIES 

Personal networking plays a meaningful role in my growth strategy. The right peer community sharpens perspective and strengthens decision-making. I’ve been a member of YPO for nearly five years, which has been invaluable for supporting and learning alongside other founders. I’m also part of networks like Pear and Founders Club, where we share insights, support one another, and grow together within the industry. — Ben Jeffries, Influencer 

13. BUILD LONG-TERM TRUST ACROSS INDUSTRIES 

Personal networking is not transactional for us, it is relational. Growth comes from long-term trust built across industries, from healthcare to consumer goods. We invest in conversations, not pitches, sharing ideas, research, and perspective generously. Those relationships often reveal unmet needs before they become formal briefs. For a design brand rooted in humanism, networking is simply an extension of our practice: listening first, adding value, and building partnerships that endure. — Ben Wintner, Michael Graves Design 

14. GROW BY REFERRAL 

As CEO and chief recruiter, this is my full-time focus. We grow by referral, reviewing and screening all who are referred to us who sync with our values of transparency, trust, kindness, generosity of spirit, gratitude, no politics or religion, and paying it forward, as well as sharing domain expertise. — Larraine Segil, Exceptional Women Alliance 

15. BE KIND, SELFLESS, AND AUTHENTIC 

There is nothing in business that’s more powerful than your network (for good or bad). Always be kind, selfless, and authentic and seek out others doing the same. This will lead to both an incredible life and fulfilling career. Life is far too short to spend time with assholes and narcissists. — William H. Dodge, P-U-B-L-I-C 

16. DON’T OPERATE IN A SILO 

Networking isn’t about what you can extract, it’s about what you can contribute. No business challenge is truly new; someone, somewhere has solved a version of it before. A strong network shortens reaction time, prevents reinvention, and builds collective intelligence. You’re only as strong as the people you can rely on, otherwise you’re operating in a silo in an interconnected economy. — Emily Kortlang, Yerba Madre 

17. RELATIONAL TRANSACTIONS 

Our growth strategy has always centered on relational transactions, not financial transactions, because the first project should always be the first of many with that client. Conceptually, we are always working to transition from traditional marketing to an attraction strategy, because our best work—and our culture—should be so compelling that clients actively seek us out. — Steven McKay, DLR Group 

18. PLAY THE LONG GAME 

Play the long game in relationship building. Take the meeting, do the call, go to the event. Ninety percent of the time you’ll be glad you did. These relationships help close deals, recruit talent, and attract partnerships in the medium and long term. — Michael Tannenbaum, Figure 

19. APPROACH WITH CURIOSITY 

I approach networking with genuine curiosity and a willingness to learn, leaving ego at the door. If you come into a conversation with the sole intent of convincing or “selling” someone, it rarely works. The most meaningful and fruitful connections come when you focus on listening and learning. Just like our partnership with Second City—it all started with a casual conversation at a Fast Company event! — Nathan Friedman, Understood.org 

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