The Biggest Mistake People Make When Networking
LEADERSHIP SKILLSCAREER GROWTH
PMA
4/13/20261 min read
It happened again — I feel like I lost the connection with this person.
I spent months thinking about reaching out after our first conversation. But many things were going on, and I wanted to reach this person after finishing some readings that were recommended to me during that conversation.
And you know what?
I could have just reached out for a coffee or a lunch.
My biggest mistake?
Letting time pass (months) without nurturing this first connection in any way.
Networking — connecting once — is nothing.
Connecting once is something.
But cultivating a relationship is everything
Today I want to share 3 insights to help you build relationships that truly last.
But before, think about this for a moment:
How did you get to know the closest people in your life?
Affinity? Chemistry? Mutual friends?
And what did you do after that first interaction?
The three key aspects to make relationships that long last, for me, have been:
Be present, listen, and ask genuine questions — those that come from intuition.
Working together. Sharing a goal, supporting each other, or simply showing up when someone is going through something hard — without expecting anything in return.
Communicating through misunderstandings. We all make mistakes. Sometimes we can think we did not do anything but we can see clearly the other person is hurt or has change behaviour. What matters is choosing openness, vulnerability, and the willingness to repair the connection. When both people are able to put the relationship first, listening to understand and not to reply, everything becomes possible.
There are many ways to keep relationships alive, but one thing is certain: reaching out matters.
In this time of AI revolution, making human connections and cultivating relationships — beyond what we have to do — is probably the real challenge and the most rewarding gift we can be proud of in this journey called life.
I’m curios to know:
What has helped you keep your most valuable relationships alive?
Paola,
Career and Leadership Coach - Lead with passion, enthusiasm, and humanity.