• Hands up those people with more than 500 connections on linked in?
  • Those that went to the latest business networking lunch?
  • Those that know everyone a little but (when you think about it) no one well?
  • Those that could tell everyone what school you went to, company you work for, professional associations you have but not one thing about the things you are passionate about?

Much of the networking we do now seems to be about collecting a number of people that you may or may not use some time in the future, rather than finding deep networks that you can enjoy today.

Forming connections with people that actually endure requires more than just clicking a connect or accept button and superficial conversations.  Enduring connections speak to something deeper, they speak to shared values, deep insights, understanding the things that drive you and that you are passionate about.

So next time you have an opportunity to connect with someone why not take it offline, explore the deeper opportunities from the connection and find the human being behind the resume.

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Written by Lisa Smith

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Lisa is a professional thinker dedicated to helping people unlock their innate creativity and to empower them to think differently – for themselves. She is passionate about building innovative cultures and about harnessing and engaging talent to create thinking communities. Lisa holds an MBA, specialising in organisational change and innovation, which forms the nucleus of her work. She relishes opportunities to share the Minds at Work thinking strategies with government bodies, socially responsible corporate, educators, community groups and farmers, helping them to turn their big ideas into realities.