“How to network outside your comfort zone?” is a question that you’ve might asked yourself many times in your career. When you, as a woman, attend a networking gathering populated mainly by men in dark suits, you will no doubt feel inclined to seek out the female participants. But this is exactly what you shouldn’t do, because it is also important for women, and pleasant too, to form coalitions with men.
In fact, the ways in which women and men interact with each other in a business environment still need to be developed. Men know the codes and etiquette within their own social circles. It is much more difficult, as a woman, to gain access to the same networks. In addition, access to the appropriate networks can only be gained when you are visible and successful. For women, this is a vicious circle: whoever is invisible, will not be admitted. But then if you’re not a member of these networks, you’re automatically less visible.
Here are the top 3 ways to network outside your comfort zone:
- Attend a networking event that has little to do with your expertise
- Reach out to people working in different company or industry
- Join an education program with participants different than your own network
For example, discussing about blockchain is not my core business. During the World Economic Forum in Davos, I understood it is currently a hot topic in the world of economics. This helped me to expand my focus and empower women to get more influence on the blockchain technology.
Get your career in your own hands 🎯
Greetings,
Mira
