My guess is that your network is larger than you think, and you tap into it to achieve your career goals less often than you could. (There’s research to support that that’s true for most people).
 
Your network probably has hundreds of people in it. It could include:

• People you work with now
• People you’ve worked with in the past
• Your LinkedIn contacts
• People you know from college
• People you know from the gym
• Your friends, your family, your neighbors …..

To realize just how robust your network is, it’s useful to “map” it. This means literally writing down who is in your network. By network, I mean someone you could count on to respond to a phone call or an email from you.
 
There are two benefits to mapping your network. 

• You will probably realize that there are many more people in your network than you might have thought.
• You may see where important gaps are. Maybe you should know more people in your industry, or maybe you’ve neglected to stay in touch with some people you’d like to.

There are several ways to map your network.

• You might go through your phone contacts or your LinkedIn or social networks.
• You can ask yourself questions like:
  • Who do you work with?
  • Who has mentored you?
  • Who do you mentor?
  • Who do you discuss professional concerns with?
  • Who has recently taught you a new skill or suggested a new resource?
  • Who has introduced you to a new contact?
  • Who do you see on a regular basis?
  • Who do you discuss personal concerns with?

In mapping your network, you’ll see the people who can help you and who you can help. You’ll be reminded of who you know who can keep you up-to-date on trends in your industry. Maybe you’ll realize that there are two people you should introduce. Or you’ll see there’s someone who knows someone you want to meet. It may serve as a reminder that you should get back in touch with someone that you haven’t connected with in a while.
 
In the next week, spend 30 minutes mapping your network. I think you’ll find it time well spent!
 
What insights did you get from mapping your network? Please share them with me at holtz@tomyyounger.me