Career growth
Networking
Build useful professional relationships through curiosity, generosity, and follow-through.
A practical starting point
Three principles to take into the conversation
- 1
Begin with genuine interest rather than an immediate request.
- 2
Make your context and reason for reaching out specific.
- 3
Follow up with something useful and maintain the relationship over time.
Try this opening
“I’m interested in how you approached [specific topic]. Would you be open to sharing what you learned?”
Use the structure, not a script. Change the words until they sound natural and fit the person, context, and stakes.
Prepare in a few minutes
- Write down the outcome you want from the conversation.
- Separate what you observed from what you assume.
- Choose one point the other person needs to understand.
- Plan a question that makes room for their perspective.