In my last post I wrote about "Getting What You Want." In networking the other side of receiving is giving, and what your mother told you as a kid is absolutely true: "It's better to give than to receive." Hopefully you have found this to be reality in life as you've grown up. If you haven't I can tell you right now that you're going to find networking to be a very frustrating activity, and probably won't have very good results.

The best networkers are the biggest givers and they're known for it. Most of them derive a deep satisfaction from having been able to help, and much of what they get in return is just a bonus.

People will often ask me how they can set goals around networking. As we're just days away from the start of 2010 this seems a really appropriate question to talk about here. The best networking goals I've seen are those that measure how much you give, not how much you receive. If you strive to give 1 referral or make 1 introduction everyday you WILL experience networking success.

The real beauty of giving in this networking context is that there tends to be a multiplier effect. For example, if you make a really good introduction you help 2 people not just one. That introduction should be of benefit to both individuals. Frequently this is because one person stands to gain a new client and the other is able to find a solution to a problem that wasn't appropriate for them to spend their own time on. Yes Virginia, Win/Win does exist!

How can you give today? What can you do everyday to help others? Having good answers to these questions will put you on the path to becoming (being) a great networker!

Happy Networking!