Have the courage! With these tips, networking is guaranteed to succeed

Career - Have the courage! With these tips, networking is guaranteed to succeed - even if it takes some effort

Without networking, it is quite difficult to climb career ladders. And even if you don't want to climb at all, you still miss out on opportunities and good contacts that can be enriching. But networking is a major challenge for many people, time and time again.

For Simone Menne, however, networking is part of everyday life. She was once the first woman on the board of a DAX company, today the 63-year-old is a multi-supervisory board member and host of the stern podcast"Die Boss - Macht ist weiblich". Several listeners have written to stern asking: How do you actually go about networking properly? In a special episode of the podcast, Menne explained what needs to be considered in the field - and at what point she herself would have needed a network but didn't have one.

"Until I became a board member, I didn't really have an official network," says Menne. Over the course of her career, however, it became clear to her how important networks are. Today, Menne is often booked as a keynote speaker, and companies and institutions want to benefit from her wealth of experience.

Ms. Menne, where is the best place to start if you want to tackle the topic of networking?They are people with whom you have regular contact. A network can be a choir or a volleyball team - but of course it can also be a highly official women's network. That's why I always find it interesting to ask yourself whether you might already have a network that just doesn't call itself that?

And how can I find people in my professional environment who suit me?If you are looking for a specific career network for your own professional development, you have to look it up. For example, there are women's networks such as European Business Women, Working Moms or Generation CEO. Google usually helps here. There are often admission criteria. This also has to do with the fact that networks need a basis of trust. With networks, you should pay close attention to what they are committed to and ask yourself: What would be the right focus for me in my development right now?

What do you recommend to people who are more introverted and may have a lot of respect for approaching new people?there are always people who are more shy. But even as a reserved person, you can pursue your goal and say: "This is precisely why networking is good and important for me." And you can also take this step together with someone else, look for another woman to attend an event with. Or you can choose a network where you already know someone. It's not much different from going to a French course at an adult education center. Of course you meet strangers at first, but you have a common goal that connects you. And not everyone has to speak out loud straight away. I can also listen a lot at first. If it's a good network, you're usually accepted - and in a way that makes you feel comfortable.

Why is a network so important for your own career?One important aspect is that a network should not degenerate into a tightrope walk in a bad sense, where everyone who is of the same opinion and within the network is promoted - and everyone else is left standing. Nonetheless, a network is a way of exchanging ideas in a spirit of trust. I can do that less with people I don't know well or who I can't assess. And this exchange is important. Over the course of my Lufthansa career, I've also gotten to know a lot of people in a wide variety of positions and asked them for advice. It's important to have colleagues I can contact if I have a problem. And vice versa. Another important aspect of networking is that competition should never be an issue here.

Are there anynetworks that you would avoid?What kind of networks do you have? And what do you want from a network? For example, I once said to a woman who is now also a board member: Why don't you join the board of trustees of an art foundation? You don't always just talk about your career there, but you meet completely different people with a great appreciation of art. And these are often influential people with whom you can have a great exchange of ideas and get out of your own bubble. Or in my case, there's the Kieler Kaufmannschaft, where I find out what's happening in Kiel and who I can team up with for projects with my gallery. Or you can specifically look for a professional network if you say, for example, I want to develop as a journalist, I want to learn from others, I want to discuss things with others. And in that sense, it's very important to think about it in advance: What do I want from a network?

Do you also reject networks? Yes, I have just turned down a network. I was there when it was founded and it's a great women's network that has ambitious plans. But I can't afford it in terms of my resources. You have to be honest about that. A network is not just about taking, you also have to give. And if you can't do that, you should say: "No, I'm not the right person for your network."

Do you have an overview of how many networks you are involved in?There are perhaps three circles where I would consciously say I am in networks. These are official women's networks that have come together to promote women and recommend each other. For example, we have said that we don't want to turn down panel requests, but not all of us always have time. And then I can call another woman and suggest her - the same applies when it comes to job recommendations. The Kieler Kaufmannschaft, which I mentioned earlier, is again an age-old organization of merchants in the city who meet regularly but probably wouldn't call themselves a network. But in fact it is one. If I count something like that, there are more than three.

Social media can also help with networking. What role do LinkedIn, X and co. play for you?I've always found it important not to be left behind technically. That's why I also use ChatGPT today. Back then at Lufthansa, I wanted to tweet, but the press office said no way. There was a lot of concern when a board member simply tweeted away without thinking. But later, at Boehringer Ingelheim, it was desired and that's where I tweeted in a really communicative way for the first time. But I'm not on Tiktok, for example, and I'm also not into movies or short videos. For me, social media is not a real network because it lacks trust, at least for me.

Many people find it difficult to present themselves in professional networks such as LinkedIn. How do I share successes on social media without coming across as unsympathetic or boastful? I also have a real problem with this, it's a balancing act. For me, it's likeable when it's about the cause. In other words, when you don't put yourself in the foreground, but celebrate the fact that you've founded a women's network in the company, for example. Or that you're starting a new job. For me, good self-promotion means keeping yourself in the background, but still being happy about what you have achieved and sharing results.

The interview was conducted by Laura Csapó with Simone Menne in the stern podcast "Die Boss - Macht ist weiblich". It was editorially adapted for stern PLUS.