Last updated on Mar 22, 2024

What do you do if your engineering management organization lacks effective networking practices?

In today's fast-paced engineering industry, networking is not just about exchanging business cards at conferences; it's a vital component of organizational success. When your engineering management organization falls short in effective networking practices, it can feel like you're navigating a ship without a compass. Networking is the art of building and maintaining professional relationships that can lead to opportunities, knowledge exchange, and collaboration. Without it, your organization may miss out on key insights, industry trends, and potential partnerships that could drive innovation and growth.

1 Assess Gaps

Begin by conducting an honest assessment of your organization's current networking practices. Identify which areas are lacking—perhaps your team is not attending enough industry events, or maybe there's a deficiency in online presence and engagement. Recognize that networking is not solely about outward communication; it's also about how effectively your organization listens and responds to others. This step is crucial because it sets the foundation for improvement by highlighting specific areas that need attention.

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Younis Mustafa

CCNA | AWS | CS50 | PMP | ITSM | ERP | Startups | E2E Infra Service Delivery | ICT | Pre Sales & Bid Management
Utilizing data analytics to assess current communication practices & identify areas of improvement. Also, business goals, we leverage predictive analytics to empowering our team through investment in training programs focused on number of industry events attended by our team, boosting engagement on professional networking platforms, or establishing a regular internal networking event to foster cross-departmental collaboration. By Fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning, we encourage experimentation with new stories of cross functionality & Celebrate networking successes and share stories of how connections have led to positive outcomes & then reviewing the same by which we can trace the progress and the journey.
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2 Set Objectives

After identifying the gaps, set clear, achievable objectives for enhancing your networking practices. These goals might include increasing the number of industry events attended by your team, boosting engagement on professional networking platforms, or establishing a regular internal networking event to foster cross-departmental collaboration. Objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework ensures that your goals are focused and provide a clear roadmap for success.

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3 Empower Team

Empowering your team is essential for improving networking practices. Encourage them to take initiative by providing resources and training on networking skills. This could involve workshops on effective communication or courses on leveraging professional networking platforms. Remember, networking is a skill that can be developed over time. When your team feels confident in their ability to network, they will be more likely to engage in it proactively.

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4 Leverage Technology

In the digital age, leveraging technology is key to expanding your networking reach. Utilize professional networking platforms to connect with peers, join industry-specific groups, and participate in discussions. These platforms can be a treasure trove for sharing knowledge, finding mentors, and keeping abreast of industry developments. Additionally, consider using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools to track interactions and follow-ups with new contacts.

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5 Foster Culture

Fostering a culture that values networking within your organization is critical. It's not just about individual efforts; it's about creating an environment where networking is encouraged and recognized as part of professional development. Celebrate networking successes and share stories of how connections have led to positive outcomes. This will help create a mindset where networking is ingrained in the organizational fabric.

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6 Review Progress

Finally, regularly review the progress of your networking initiatives. This involves revisiting the objectives you set earlier and evaluating whether they have been met. Solicit feedback from your team about what's working and what isn't. Use this information to adjust your strategies and continue improving. Networking is an ongoing process, and continuous improvement is key to keeping up with the dynamic nature of the engineering industry.

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Guilherme Chediack

Senior Project Manager | Gestão de Projetos | Electrical Engineer | Scrum | Planning
Na minha opinião, é crucial revisar o progresso e buscar soluções que impulsionem a eficiência e o sucesso. Existem no mercado algumas ferramentas existentes que podem ajudar na análise de redes e no aprimoramento das práticas de gerenciamento de engenharia. Como por exemplo o Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Smartsheet, Trello e o Lucidchart. Essas são algumas das ferramentas disponíveis hoje que conheço e acho podem auxiliar na análise de redes e no aprimoramento das práticas de gerenciamento de engenharia. Ao revisar o progresso e identificar áreas de melhoria, podemos impulsionar a eficiência e o sucesso de nossos projetos de engenharia.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Gonzalo Mattar

Director of Engineering at DRAIVER | CTO as service (CAS) | CTO | startup-aholic
Team building activities are an effective strategy for enhancing networking across various departments within a company. These initiatives help collaboration and understanding among different teams, contributing to a more cohesive and interconnected organizational culture.
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What do you do if your engineering management organization lacks effective networking practices?

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1 Assess Gaps

2 Set Objectives

3 Empower Team

4 Leverage Technology

5 Foster Culture

6 Review Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

Engineering Management

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What do you do if your engineering management organization lacks effective networking practices?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess Gaps

2 Set Objectives

3 Empower Team

4 Leverage Technology

5 Foster Culture

6 Review Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

Engineering Management

Rate this article

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