Forget the corner office and the fancy title. The secret weapon in your professional arsenal isn’t material accomplishments and neither is it your academic profile. Believe it or not, it’s your network of colleagues.

These are the people who walk beside you on your career journey, offering support, knowledge, and motivation. You get to share spaces, resources, and even responsibilities with these folks. But beyond the physical and emotional connections, strategically building relationships with colleagues unlocks a powerful potential for professional growth and development.

Each colleague that you share and connect with brings something unique to the table – a skillset, a fresh perspective, or a connection to a new opportunity. Not only do they help you attain new outcomes at work, but each colleague is a new bond that only strengthens your professional value chain. For those with whom you share common strengths and expertise, it is a case of “iron sharpens iron”. For those that you only share the office space or building with, it is still an opportunity to learn or forge a meaningful friendship or lifelong connection.

Let’s take a quick recap on that train of thought. Colleagues will help you accomplish several things, including:

• Solving problems collaboratively: Think of colleagues as the peripheral vision that enables you to see blind spots. By drawing on their diverse knowledge and experiences, you get alternative solutions to problems much quicker than on your own.
• Fueling innovation: Even within the same profession or office, coworkers often possess different perspectives on how to solve problems. In a professional setting, this is a gift, not a curse. Use the opportunity to get a creative spark that can lead to groundbreaking solutions.
• Staying ahead of the curve: As part of your professional network, colleagues will help keep you updated on industry trends, certifications, and technologies. They may even enlighten you on the right paths to follow in your career trajectory that you may not have considered before.
• Unlocking hidden opportunities: Colleagues can connect you with valuable resources, recommend you for new positions, or may even be your eyes to previously unseen opportunities.

Strategic Networking with Colleagues Starts By Cultivating Genuine Relationships

No fancy tools or complex strategies are needed here. However, there is a need for genuine concern, respect, and team building between colleagues.

So, what strategies can you adapt to make the most out of your connections with colleagues?

• Be an active listener: Don’t be a narcissist, you know, always riding the “me” train. Show genuine interest in your coworkers, what they do, their challenges, and aspirations. Bonus points here if you are at a management or senior level and can bring yourself down to those lower on the pecking order.
• Offer help and support: Be readily available to answer questions, share knowledge, and provide a helping hand. Do this without expecting anything in return.
• Celebrate achievements: We all know that workplaces are competitive, which builds into the psyche of employees in how they relate with each other. See beyond the competition. Recognize and appreciate successes, both personal and professional, within your coworker network.
• Be a connector: Be a lifter of persons – share a recommendation, make an introduction, or even take someone under your wing. I have benefited greatly from this myself, so I know the transformative power of fostering connections.
• Step outside your comfort zone: Take the leap and connect with colleagues from different departments, those with expertise beyond your own, or even those at higher echelons of authority.

Whatever your level in the corporate setting, you have the power to foster a supportive and collaborative work environment. This not only benefits you but also strengthens the collaborative force of your team. That leads to greater success for all.

By creating a supportive and collaborative environment, you foster a network that thrives on mutual respect and knowledge exchange. This benefits you individually and also strengthens the collective force of your team, leading to greater success for all involved.

At the Lillian Ngala Network, we believe that your colleagues are your strongest strategic partners, not just your neighbors in the cubicle farm. We encourage you to invest in building strong relationships by leveraging the power of your network. That will help you unlock the potential for career growth, innovation, and success that wouldn’t be possible alone.

Go further and improve your network by signing up for our next strategic networking meeting to be held on March 6th, 2024, at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi, from 5.30-to-9 PM.

Remember, your colleagues are the strongest part of your network, and Your Network Is your Net Worth. See you soon!