Painless Networking (Tip: Do a Good Job, and People Will Come to You)

People often hate networking because they feel awkward, like they are selling something that’s unwanted. Wharton professor Adam Grant recently wrote how to build a network without being a great networker. Sponsors, mentors, investors, and collaborators will come to you if:

1. You have a track record of success. Some interesting stats: each patent issued by inventors increases the likelihood of a new collaboration by 44%. Entrepreneurs who release more products than peer companies are almost 300% more likely to get funding from high-status investors.
2. If you’re a well-known subject matter expert. People not only want to learn from you but also prove their skills and earn your respect.
3. If you do excellent work and share your knowledge with others. People will reciprocate.

In a nutshell: “Produce some worthwhile work first, and you’ll be in a better position to build your network.”