Why networking and the school playground are so similar

For a lot of people, the idea of networking brings up images of walking into a room full of strangers and having to sell themselves. No wonder it feels uncomfortable. But that’s not what networking is really about.

Let me share a story.

When my daughter was about 10, I used to brush her hair in the morning while we chatted about the day ahead. One morning, I mentioned that I was feeling a bit nervous because I was about to give a presentation to a networking group … about networking.

She looked at me and asked, very seriously, “What’s that?”

So, I explained it as best I could: “It’s what grown-ups do when they walk into a room full of strangers, start talking to each other, and see if they’ve got anything in common.”

She stared at me like I’d completely lost the plot and said, “You mean… like making friends?”

And she was absolutely right.

That is what networking is about.

Think back to primary school. Some people you played with at break time once or twice and never saw again. Others you always played with at school, the same teams, the same games … but you didn’t socialise outside of that. Then there were the friends you invited home, went to their houses, and built deeper connections with.

Some of those people may still be your friends decades later. And even if they aren’t, if you bumped into them tomorrow, you’d just pick up where you left off.

That’s networking.

You walk into a room full of strangers.

Some people you’ll meet, greet, and move on from.

Some will become suppliers, customers, associates, or even advocates.

And a few will become real friends, your support network; the people who genuinely help make running a business or building a career possible.

So next time you go networking, remember: you’re not there to sell — you’re there to make friends.

And if networking really isn’t your thing and you’d like some support, do get in touch. There are some free resources on this website that you may find useful or book a time in my diary to see if I can help 😊