The Value of Your Network

According to a poll on LinkedIn, 47% of procurement and supply chain professionals in the construction sector consider themselves to be poor at networking. Most of us acknowledge that networking is time well spent but, as happens with so many things that have a medium- to long-term payback, we then bump it down the list in favour of more immediate demands in our busy day-to-day roles.

So what are the benefits of networking? Is it important to your career development? And how can you efficiently and effectively build, manage and leverage your contacts?

Why networking matters for career development
While prioritising activities with more immediate payback is always tempting, effective networking will have a huge impact on your career progression over time. Two core benefits are:

Operational effectiveness - Exposure to alternative techniques and perspectives makes all of us better and more efficient at our jobs.

A strong network can bo...