{"id":49369,"date":"2018-10-17T05:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T12:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/?p=49369"},"modified":"2018-10-17T05:00:10","modified_gmt":"2018-10-17T12:00:10","slug":"networking-introverts-office-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/networking-introverts-office-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Networking for Introverts: Tips for the Office & Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advertising is such a social and highly collaborative industry that it\u2019s practically a job requirement for you to competently navigate relationships among a wide variety of people through networking. But for some of us, making new friends \u2014 or at least making new connections or workplace allies \u2014 doesn\u2019t always come easy.<\/p>\n

As a lifelong introvert, I am more aware of this than practically anybody. What I\u2019ve learned from my 10+ years in the biz is that making connections is a long-term process. If you\u2019re also an introvert, it\u2019s important to remember the benefits, and remind yourself that it\u2019s worth the work that goes into networking \u2014 even if it\u2019s just inside your office.<\/p>\n

Why Workplace Networking is Important<\/h2>\n

1. It can make your life better.<\/h3>\n

Having friends, compadres, confidantes, or whatever else you\u2019d like to call them, is essential to having a long and successful career. In an industry where there are a lot of late nights, working lunches, and missed vacations, having work friends can take the edge off and help you avoid burnout.<\/p>\n

2. It can make your work better.<\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t have to be friends with everyone, but developing a few key strategic alliances can make it easier to do your job. \u00a0As a copywriter, I always make a point of trying to cultivate relationships with the senior account and strategy people for the brand that I work on. It makes my job easier, more fruitful, and less painful. When people know who you are and trust that you\u2019re working toward the same goal they are, they\u2019re more receptive to exploring boundary-pushing work.<\/p>\n

3. It can make you<\/strong> better.<\/h3>\n

Friendly relationships can also reshape the dynamics of feedback and criticism. It softens the blow to hear criticism come from someone you perceive as a teammate (and conversely, they may be more sensitive about giving it if they\u2019re friendly with the person on the receiving end). If you\u2019re getting professional feedback from a colleague with whom you\u2019ve forged a relationship, instead of listening with resentment and dismissing their words, you\u2019ll hear suggestions for doing better work coming from a knowledgeable partner who has the best interests of the project in mind.<\/p>\n

How You Can Improve Your Workplace Networking<\/h2>\n

It can feel like a fine line between making strategic connections and dressing up as an extrovert. Even if it doesn\u2019t come naturally \u2014 and it won\u2019t, at first \u2014 there are a few little things you can do every day that can make the process easier.<\/p>\n