The Foreign Service Journal, December 2009

N etworking can be a misused and misunderstood process. For starters, many Foreign Service members think of it primarily in terms of planning a post-FS career. While it is certainly a useful skill for that purpose, cultivating and sustaining pro- fessional relationships contribute to professional development throughout one’s career, as well as afterward. Another common misconception is that networking “works” only for extro- verts, who already tend to be gregari- ous. In fact, such skills are useful for a wide range of situations and personali- ties, including introverts—who are the main focus of this article. Finally, some people disdain net- working as shameless self-promotion. That may be true in extreme cases, but for most people, it is a win-win means of sharing skills, information and expe- riences with friends and colleagues. Only Connect It may be helpful to think of effec- tive networking as a type of marketing, one that addresses shared needs and in- terests for mutual benefit. Start by being alert for possible professional re- lationships that could be beneficial, as well as pleasant. They can include peo- ple whose substantive interests are sim- ilar or complementary to your own. For example, a political officer with particular geographic expertise can connect with an economic officer whose functional knowledge brings an important dimension to understanding the complexity in a region or culture. In assignments with a focus on com- munity development, the managerial and organizational experience of ad- ministrative and consular officers is rel- evant. Other examples include secur- ity, public affairs and personnel offi- cers, all of whom have access to useful contacts and information about the local scene and individuals. Such expansive approaches go be- yond the tendency in marketing to focus on target groups or discrete cat- egories of people. Given the complex- ity of today’s national and global issues, effective networking needs to tran- scend compartments. At its best, it is a dynamic, sometimes even intimate process of mutual influence that en- riches your current career and opens avenues to future work — both within and outside the Foreign Service — es- pecially in areas that engage you most strongly. Effective networking reaches be- yond neat categories and immediate needs. Understanding what makes you and others unique is catalytic for fo- cusing your efforts. This builds trust, whether with U.S. colleagues, Foreign Service Nationals, host-country repre- sentatives or everyday citizens — all potential sources of information, understanding and friendship. Con- versely, avoiding such relationships be- cause of superficial assumptions about a person’s value means missing chances to connect and learn. Networking for Introverts If you consider yourself an introvert, keep in mind that behavior can range from asocial to quiet to just short of being an extrovert. It can also vary with how you’re feeling, whom you’re with, howmany people are present and your environment. Here are some examples of prefer- ences among people who tend toward introversion. To test your own, do you: • prefer to concentrate in a quiet environment? • appreciate details over generaliza- tions? • want to knowwhat’s behind some- thing? • think about issues and situations a great deal before acting? • feel tired after, and perhaps in an- ticipation of, intense social interac- tion? FS K NOW -H OW Effective Networking for Diplomats — Introverts or Not B Y R UTH M. S CHIMEL D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 15 Networking is a win- win means of sharing skills, information and experiences with friends and colleagues.