You are used to long hours, hard work, painstaking mental processes and little personal time. In fact, the simple mention of the word “networking” sends chills up and down your spine. The intense scrutiny and competition of your Ivy League University was not as daunting as this single, solitary word. And you may wonder, “Why is this even a topic of discussion? I am a scientist (or engineer) for goodness sake, not a salesman or public relations specialist!”

If you are intimidated by the need to network, you are not alone. This does not, however, change the fact that it is necessary. In today’s ever volatile work environment, no one can keep to themselves in the office or the lab and expect to progress their career. There is hope for those of us who are “network” challenged. All it takes is a mental refocus of what networking really is…and a simple plan of implementation.

In its most basic form, networking is simply connecting with other people. Every business is a people business. No matter how simple or complex your role is, people are at the heart of every venture. In a task driven, goal oriented industry this is sometimes easy to forget. People make decisions. People drive success. People create jobs. People hire other people

Here is another way of looking at it. You need people. People need you. Connecting with other people sincerely (not just for what you can get from them) can and will improve every area of your life. Simply put, when you help other people expecting nothing in return – you can bet your bottom dollar the favor can and will be returned in some way.

Networking doesn’t demand that everyone you meet becomes your new best friend either. What is does mean is that everyone you meet has some potential to add value to your life and to your work. Conversely, you have the potential to add great value to them as well.

Today’s work environment demands sincerity and transparency. The old days of networking as a political maneuver to stay one step ahead of the other guy doesn’t cut it any more. Networking is more about winning with people and helping each other accomplish more than we can alone.

The goal here is not to change your personality. The goal is to move out of your comfort zone just a little – because in today’s work environment, networking is a must. So without turning you into the new Regis Philbin, Victoria Tucker of ZB Global Consulting and Dr. Zhu Shen, CEO of BioForesight, have authored an article entitled “The Einstein Factor when Netwoking.” They have taken the mystery of networking and broken it down into bite sized actions that are easy to do. It is a simple “no fear” approach to networking that anyone can do. Even you.

To read the article "The Einstein Factor when Networking", click here.