A Digital Transformation for Networking
There's a lot of talk about digital transformation. But what does that really mean?
I mean, I've seen a lot of companies and entrepreneurs implement software "solutions", but BUYING a solution doesn't mean that you've experienced a transformation💡
So what even IS a digital transformation?
I like this definition I found from The Enterprisers Project:
"Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It's also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure.
I've highlighted my favorite parts of the definition above, which we will explore more throughout this article. But first, let's pick a case study for digital transformation?
How about networking? Or did the title already give that away 😉
According to Dictionary.com, networking is defined as, "the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts."
So let's explore what it looks like to take the action of interacting with others into the digital landscape in a way that fundamentally changes how we network.
The Good Old Days
Remember the first time you used that phrase? I think I was about 35, and I was looking back on a time that seemed somewhat simpler. And although it seems desirable to go back to something that was easier, that's just not the way life works unfortunately.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced us all to find ways of interacting with people online. We all went digital. But only some of us underwent a digital transformation.
Fundamentally Changing How You Operate
Change is always hard.
And it's also part of staying relevant.
Gartner says that 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025. That's only 3 years away (from the time this article was written).
And since MOST people who are networking are doing so for business purposes, that number is significant.
If sales interactions are happening online, then networking ALSO needs to be happening online.
But they don't just need to be DONE online. They need to be done with the same level of care, attention and connection as in real life. So, the key question for a true transformation becomes, "how do I show up online in a way that feels authentic for me?"
If you don't like networking online, ask yourself, "what don't I like about this?"
"What drains my energy?"
"What spaces make me feel uncomfortable?"
And do something else.
The error that many people make is they think there's only ONE way to network online. But just like everything else, that's not the case. There's never only ONE way to do a thing. The key is to find YOUR way of doing a thing that works for YOU.
Cultural Change for an Individual
You might think that a culture change is only relevant in an organization...
Nope.
It's equally relevant if you're talking about changing a mindset.
For example, changing a mindset from "REAL networking can only be done in person" to "I can create the same type of relationships online as I do offline".
It's a change of beliefs. That leads to a change in action.
The Gartner Glossary has a great definition of Cultural Change:
Cultural change is the process in which an organization encourages employees to adopt behaviors and mindsets that are consistent with the organization's values and goals. Successful cultural change initiatives are often gradual and must be done at a sustainable pace so that employees can acclimate and adjust to the change without becoming disengaged.
So, let's replace an organization with a personal brand.
We get: cultural change is the process in which a person adopts behaviors and mindsets that are consistent with new values and goals.
Because our personal brands are always evolving, we're actually constantly undergoing internal cultural change. And only by EMBRACING that can we create a true transformation.
Get Comfortable with Failure
We all fail. There's not a single person - alive or dead - that hasn't made a mistake. It's human nature. And as long as we're human, we will fail.
Change, by nature, is an evolved failure. It's an adjustment we make because something didn't go quite as we had planned. That commitment to continue learning and growing is a critical component to transformation.
So let's look at this through a digital networking lens. Here are some common mistakes:
Going to a networking event where you feel totally out of place
Going to a networking event and bungling your pitch
Going to a networking event and not knowing what to say
NOT going to any digital networking events (because in-person is "better")
People, some of them coaches, will try to tell you that they can help you avoid these mistakes. But I would argue that by avoiding all the mistakes. you miss out on your opportunity for a true transformation.
In my experience, the more mistakes we make ourselves, the FASTER we transform.
Interesting thought, considering Gartner's warning in their cultural change definition that successful initiatives are often gradual and must be done at a sustainable pace 😉
When you become more comfortable being uncomfortable, and LEARN about what is making you uncomfortable, THAT's when you get full access to a transformation 💖
In Summary
I know. It all sounds very simple.
But the actions need to happen. Over and over.
And that's when things usually fall apart.
A solution looks good from the outside. Like being able to network internationally.
And then you try it.
And it feels hard.
So, you stop.
And things aren't any different.
To get a transformation, you have to COMMIT to the change.
Or, you can go back to the way it was before.
REMINDER: You might be the same, but the world isn't the same.
I don't want you to be Blockbuster.
So, if you're ready to move into the digital networking environment, in a way that feels authentic and sustainable for you, we really should chat. Whether you're networking on behalf of your employer, are an entrepreneur working with clients in the digital space, or even a job seeker looking to build a network for your next opportunity for remote work, a digital transformation IS available.
If you're ready, book a Discovery Call today.
