How Business Networking Can Lead to Cross-Pollination of Fresh Ideas and Innovation

By James Adams

I try and spend at least 30 minutes per week talking to other business owners. Granted, as a consultant, that is my job, but I also take the time to do it personally. The reason for this is simple and it’s a networking term you may have heard of before: cross-pollination.

What does cross-pollination have to do with business networking?

Of course, I am not talking about the horticultural process. In business, cross-pollination is the spreading of ideas and concepts, not only between departments, but between businesses. To keep the analogy going, taking the time to allow cross-pollination to occur enables the seeds of an idea to be sown. Over time, you will get to reap the rewards.

Cross-pollination works well because it is all about perspective—the same reason why having a high level of diversification in the workplace works. Differing experiences, values, and perspectives allow us to break down complex situations and look at them from different angles. On our own we simply cannot have all of the answers; sometimes we only have part of an answer. A cross-pollination of ideas could be the missing piece of the puzzle, the missing piece that has prevented you from solving challenges you face in your business or even your career.

Why should you network 30 minutes a week?

Thirty minutes may seem like an arbitrary number, and in some respects it is. Truthfully, the point is to take some time out of your week and set it aside to network with other business owners. The reason this is so important is it allows you time to do two things.

First, it builds trust between you and your connection, which is very important if you're planning to get advice from this person. Second, it allows ideas and concepts to gestate over a period of time, to evolve and become a solution. It also allows your new connection time to think about your situation, as well as their own.

Networking is more important now than it was 24 months ago

We cannot escape the fact that we live in a Covid world and this type of support is more important now than ever. When I speak to small business owners, the theme of loneliness comes up time and time again.

Working from home has meant we're in the same space for both our personal and business lives. Having an opportunity to share the burden of our decisions, as well as seek affirmation of our choices, is something many small business owners appreciate more than ever during the pandemic.

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Whom can I trust with these sorts of discussions?

This is always a tricky part of the equation. I was once told a story about trust that I love to recite any opportunity I can. Trust is like drops of water filling a bucket. It takes a long time to build up the water to anything substantial, and with one wrong move, you can knock over the bucket and you are left with nothing.

One of the hardest parts of the process is finding someone you can trust. You need to find someone who is in a similar situation as you—someone who may be working at a same-size business, at a similar level as you—and building their trust over a period of time. Hopefully, while you've been in business you have made such contacts. If not, it’s time to start building that sort of network.

Business networking events

Local networking events are a great way to engage with other businesspeople. During the pandemic, there has been an explosion of networking events, many of them exclusive, run by experienced facilitators who may be ex-CEOs and have some coaching experience. You may have to pay a considerable amount of money to be part of these events, but a lot of people do find value in them. To locate an event in your area, try searching “Executive Coaching.”

I have friends, colleagues, and mentors who have chosen this route for two reasons. First, by paying for the service, they feel they can commit to it. Second, because they are formal events, discussions are open and honest, and also offers some security between members.

I have heard people say to me they have tried to forge such business relationships, but they didn’t work out for them in the end. As with most things in life, it is all about fit. And remember, this works both ways—perhaps you aren’t the right fit for the other businesspeople, either.

The key element here is to find relationships that are a good fit. In the end, the benefit to you, your business, and your career is far greater than the time spent seeking someone out. Perseverance is key and taking the time to find the right fit will pay dividends in the short, medium, and long run.

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