Dearest Darling Friends,

 

The Networking Formula Nobody Teaches You

 

A few months ago, I met someone with 21,000 + LinkedIn connections.

 

He has been unemployed for 8 months and struggling to find job opportunities.

 

Last week, I met an engineer from BITS Pilani with 252 connections.

 

2 companies were interested in hiring him. He wasn’t even looking for a job !!!

 

That’s when I realized we’ve been thinking about networking completely wrong.

 

Most people believe: Connections × Events = Opportunities

 

The actual formula: Competence × Credibility × Connection = Huge Opportunities

 

Competence – The seed must be competent to become a tree.
Credibility – The farmer must have the experience to nurture the seed into a plant and then into a tree.
Network – The ground will then, help this combination to produce a great harvest.

 

The order TRULY matters.

 

When Sundar Pichai joined Google, he didn’t know Larry Page or Sergei Brin.

 

He didn’t have Silicon Valley connections.

 

What he had was the ability to execute.

 

He played an important role in building Google Chrome.

 

Then led the team that developed Android.

 

Then became CEO.

 

His competence led to credibility which in turn created connections that no amount of networking events could have generated.

 

Take Nikhil Kamath.

 

When he started Zerodha, hardly anyone knew him.

 

No superlative education.

 

No family connections in finance.

 

But, today HE IS THE NETWORK!!!

 

Insight

 

You don’t network your way to success.
You perform your way to a network.

 

Remember, the formula is –> Competence × Credibility × Connection = Huge Opportunities

 

Now, how to build all three

 

1. Build Competence First

Solve real problems
Create proof of work
Have systems that can scale
Deliver more than what you promise

 

2. Establish Credibility

Share results
Share knowledge
Be consistent over time
Let others verify your claims

 

3. Then Focus on Connections

Lead with value: “I noticed you are weak in strategy. Would you like to know how I helped ABC fix it?”
Connect around shared work, not small talk
Collaborate on projects, not mindless meetings
Let introductions happen through real impact and not through niceties.

 

In the year 2010, a huge setback happened and I had to begin from scratch.

 

Here’s a question that gave me power and courage:

 

If I lost all my yesterday’s connections, can I rebuild purely based on my competence and credibility?

 

Fortunately, my answer was a resounding YESSSSSSSS.

 

That led to the birth of Life School.

 

For you….

 

If the answer is a ‘no’, then, you are NOT networking, you are just collecting contact information.

 

If the answer is a ‘yes’, you are on solid grounds. Your network will provide you with an ocean of opportunities.

 

Contrary to popular saying, your network isn’t your net worth. Your competence + credibility is.

 

With love, prayers and best wishes,