Networking is a critical aspect of influencing skill. In our workshops, we find all manner of excuses thrown up, but having a vibrant network is vital to success in the long term (and the short term). Yet despite all the noise on the subject, in the press, in training programmes and on the bookshelves, I think something is missing — the focus on motivating people to want to do it! Research (from our Influencing Skills 360°) shows that people think the individuals they are scoring are pretty relaxed and effective at networking events. They even believe that those people are quite strategic about the way they do things. However, self-rating shows a different story. Most people feel uncomfortable, ineffective and that being strategic is almost a non-starter. Indeed, these items show the biggest perceptual difference out of all 42 skills we assess! Read More