As I recently shared via Facebook and Instagram:
One of the common misconceptions about networking is that we should be approaching the top dogs or celebrities of our industry so that they can put us on
That being the case, no wonder so many people find it intimidating!
To quote Issa Rae, though, it's not about "networking up" (although I do believe this has its place). It's about looking at "who's next to you" and "networking across".
In other words, it’s about networking horizontally or with your peers.
Upon exploring Ruth’s life, we see that she is the perfect illustration of this very concept
For example, starting at the very beginning of the Biblical account of her story-
A) It was Ruth’s relationship with Naomi that brought her to the abundance of Bethlehem (and away from the famine in Moab)
Also, as mentioned in a previous blog post-
B) Ruth decided to glean behind the reapers once she got there- giving us, as modern women, a series of lessons about horizontal networking
For example:
1) You must position yourself for success
As mentioned in last week’s post, Ruth’s goal, upon reaching Bethlehem, was to ensure that she and her mother-in-law survived. This is what gave her the drive to keep pushing forward for them both, despite the tragic circumstances that brought them there.
Her best bet? Harvesting grain.
The problem? Naomi had no land and Ruth didn’t really know what she was doing! This is why Ruth ended up in random fields following behind the reapers or harvesters there.
This also shows us that, when it comes to our goals and dreams, we must set ourselves up for success by positioning ourselves in our respective “fields” through networking and PR.
2) Success leaves clues
I’m sure you’ve heard adages such as “your network is your net worth” and “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. Applying this to Ruth, it gives further insight into why she decided to glean behind the reapers. Building relationships with them positioned her among people who could mentor and up-level her- allowing for the replication of their results. Applying it to us (especially if you’re currently trying to manifest your goals, like Ruth) her actions show that we also need to consider who/what platforms:
Align with our goals, target audience and-
Can broaden our ability to reach them or-
Lend their skills/network where we may have gaps
3) Networking across leads to networking up
Going back to Issa Rae, she is a great modern day example of how networking across leads to networking up. For example, I have been a fan of hers ever since her web series- “The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl”- debuted on YouTube (a series which she pretty much put together herself with the help of her friends). Since then, this had led her to:
Authoring a book by the same name
Creating and starring in hit TV series (like “Insecure” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show”)
Starring in movies (such as “Little” and “The Hate You Give”)
And more!
If Issa Rae had waited for the affirmation and approval of the powers that be within her industry, she might still be waiting to kick start and actualise her dreams due to lack of access. Starting by networking across (rather than up) helped her to bet on herself and build the social proof needed to prove that she could swim with the big fish when her gifts (or portfolio) eventually opened that door for her.
This was also the case with our spiritual mother. Gleaning behind the reapers is what got Ruth noticed by Boaz so that she went from working in his fields to owning them with him as his wife. This is also the case for us, as modern women, especially in areas such as networking and PR.
The lesson, sis? Dream big but start small (most important is to start, though!) and you do this by creating your own seat at the table of your dreams while leveraging current relationships.
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