Get better at work today: The simple habit that will help you build a powerful network

Aug 26, 2026 04:46 PM - 1 hour ago 2

People successful agency talking

Networking shouldn't commencement erstwhile you request a favor. Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

Get amended at: Building a beardown network

Today's move

Send a connection to personification successful your web without an ask: Congratulate them connected a promotion, nonstop an article that made you deliberation of them, aliases conscionable opportunity "hi."

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Why it works

Those mini interactions make you travel crossed arsenic genuine, alternatively than arsenic personification simply trying to get something, and that's captious to building a web that advances your career.

Dorie Clark, a connection coach and activity and workplace author, told Business Insider that you should debar becoming the personification who reaches retired only erstwhile they request a favor.

That intends networking shouldn't statesman erstwhile you're looking for a caller job. Even if you're happy wherever you are, building relationships pinch your peers tin salary disconnected complete time. A 2023 study of 2 cardinal LinkedIn connections crossed much than 7,000 companies recovered that firms pinch highly connected labor outperformed those whose workers were little connected.

Try it today

Reach retired to astatine slightest 1 personification successful your web without asking for anything.

That way, if you do yet request help, it won't consciousness for illustration you're calling retired of the blue.

The bottommost line

Creating meaningful connections takes clip and genuine effort that should commencement agelong earlier you request a favor.

Source

This penetration is drawn from Business Insider reporting connected the Dos and Don'ts of networking, citing commentary from Dorie Clark, a connection coach and activity and workplace author. Read the afloat communicative from Business Insider's Alice Tecotzky and Tim Paradis here.

It besides includes accusation from a 2023 study from Harvard Business School astir why companies should attraction astir employees' LinkedIn connections.

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Ana  writes astir workplace trends and really AI is reshaping the roles of package engineers. She besides regularly interviews C-suite executives astir their profession trajectories and activity insights.Ana hosts a play video bid called "Work Shift," which breaks down the biggest workplace news of the week. She holds a master’s grade successful multimedia publicity from NYU and has been featured connected BBC, NPR, and different world media platforms.Have a tip? You tin interaction her via email at [email protected] or done the secure-messaging app Signal astatine aalt.19.

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