Why building a network is like building a snowman

Did you ever build a snowman as a child? You probably recall that the bigger and more stable the snowman was, the more work it took — a task possible only with the help of siblings or other neighborhood kids. A bigger support group makes for sturdy snowmen and successful careers!

Just as we all have a notion of what makes the perfect snowman — a base, a middle, a head with a carrot nose and some branches for arms — we know what a successful career should look like. You should be able to find a job, get fulfillment from what you’re able to contribute and steadily be rewarded with more money and appreciation. But getting there takes a reputation for reliability and stability. If you’re always the kid who loses a mitten or flakes out early because you’d rather have hot chocolate inside, you will be less likely to be invited to the snowball fight later. Stick around and your attentiveness to the goal will be noticed.

Building a network involves building relationships. By showing curiosity in what others do, your network will become stronger. The more perspectives we work with, the more our creativity is able to expand. Our job satisfaction often depends on how engaged we are. Working with peers and supervisors who wholly support the organizational goals encourages employee engagement by 59%!

We each measure success individually. Whether we focus on concrete objectives like job security and salary, or the abstract values of job satisfaction, the overall picture truly shows us that networking benefits us in multiple ways. Frosty would agree.