4 days ago
Career stuck in neutral? Networking might change that
[SINGAPORE] Too many Singapore professionals treat networking as 'unnecessary' work, says Ryan Lim. 'They think of it as something they have to endure. They assume their good work will speak for itself, not realising that sometimes, what you really need is the right person noticing you at the right time.'
Lim, the founding partner of business networking company QED Changemakers, has spent more than a decade watching Singapore's business elite navigate the delicate art of connection.
In that time, he has seen how the country's bedrock of meritocracy – study hard, work hard, let the results speak – has produced technically proficient executives who often treat networking as 'a side dish rather than part of the main course'.
'We tend to see networking as a bank account that depletes as we use it,' he adds. 'In reality, networking is more like a muscle. The more you use it, the better it gets. Like exercise, you need to practise long before you actually need it.'
His conclusion is blunt: 'Your work might get you through the door, but it's your relationships that decide whether you're invited to the decision-making table.'
That conviction is the spine of his book, Business of Networking, published recently.
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Business Of Networking is part creative non-fiction, part field manual, blending fictionalised scenarios with distilled tips drawn from author Ryan Lim's experience gathering more than 3,500 senior leaders and board directors across Asia for his compant. PHOTO: QED CHANGEMAKERS
Part creative non-fiction, part field manual, it blends fictionalised scenarios with distilled tips drawn from Lim's experience gathering more than 3,500 senior leaders and board directors across Asia for QED Changemakers.
The book centres on Dylan, a competent but socially awkward executive (fashioned after Lim's younger self) who flounders in a high-stakes corporate game. He repeatedly misses opportunities because he doesn't know how to navigate a room or follow up effectively.
Over months, he stumbles through awkward introductions, brushes with opportunists, and a few small wins – before shifting his focus from chasing quick gains to building trust and long-term relationships.
By the final chapters, Dylan is genuinely transformed when he starts to see networking as a mutual exchange – helping others succeed while strengthening his own position. As Lim puts it, networking is 'the unspoken differentiator in business'.
The book acknowledges the politics and pitfalls of relationship-building. One of its characters, Kim, spends more time networking than beefing up on skills and knowledge. Another character, George, is a friendly opportunist whose generosity hides a self-serving agenda.
'Enemies in business are rarely obvious,' Lim says. 'You need the judgment to know when a relationship helps you – and when it costs you.'
Ryan Lim, founding partner of QED Changemakers, wrote the book to distil his own life lessons. PHOTO: QED CHANGEMAKERS
While the book's lessons may be familiar to older and battle-scarred executives, Business of Networking offers valuable guidance for younger professionals learning to navigate the unspoken rules, shifting alliances, and subtle power plays of corporate life.
Lim's parting shot: 'In the end, people remember you if you really listen, ask questions and offer genuine insight... In networking, curiosity is a powerful currency.'
Business Of Networking: Networking For Business by Ryan Lim is available at good bookstores.
