TNNW, September, 2008, Week 2: Under What Category Does One Classify "Networking"?

As a proponent of networking education and training, I've been wrestling with the "many faces of networking". One one hand, we are seeing that everyone needs networking and to be networked to survive. On the other hand, there seems to be no one set definition of the word "networking". Even the armies of networking "gurus" out there can't seem to agree.

Why is that?

And why is it that Colleges and Universities do not offer degrees in networking or even have their own Networking Departments?

Again...we have not seen agreement here either...

Is networking a marketing & sales topic (i.e. a "School of Business" course)? Sure!

Is it filed under "Communications"? Yes to that as well!

Is it considered a facet of "Sociology"? You betcha!

How about "Technology and Science"? Ummm...yes...

From my own work with the Laws of Relationship Capital, we can see its influence upon the studies of biology and all the other "ologies" out there as well as history, economics and (dare I say) religion/spiritualism as well...OK...is there a point to this?

Indeed...no matter what the subject of study, networking plays a role as the crucial link by which information is obtained, teams are formed, problems are solved, Financial Capital is made, support systems are formed, etc.

This is what fascinates me about networking...it is prevalent in EVERYTHING WE DO. It is what unifies us all - could this have been what Einstein referred to as the Unified Field?

To me, networking is truly the "stuff of life", upon which everything else is built.

So whether networking is your passion, obsession or just your own means to an end, let's at least agree for the moment that it can be quite powerful and we can't get anything we want or need without it.

As always, I look forward to Networking with you...

- Adam