Even for experienced professionals, it can feel intimidating to join a new professional group or association — especially if you discover that you’re practically the only new member and everyone else already seems to know each other. How can you break in and build relationships when no one else seems to feel the need? Here are four strategies to help you feel more comfortable, so you can stick around long enough to enjoy yourself and the benefits of membership: 1) Ask for networking help. In most cases, you’ll know at least one person in the group who can help you break in. 2) Commit to understanding the dynamics of the group. 3) Overindex during your first year. Because you’ll feel like a stranger at first (and you are) the antidote is to make yourself a “regular” as quickly as possible. 4) Double-check your assumptions.

We live in a time when “bigger is better” is the prevailing assumption when it comes to, well, just about anything. So it’s only natural for us to want to supersize our network of connections — both online and off — because the more people we know, the greater our chances of being exposed to opportunities that may lead to professional advancement, potential mentors, material success, and so on. But in fact, being what we call a “superconnector” has nothing to do with supersizing your network. Rather, it’s about surrounding yourself with a carefully curated group of people who you admire and respect and with whom you share common beliefs and values — people who will set the tone for the foundation of your larger network filled with people who provide value to one another. And that core group should be a lot smaller than you think.

Success is not about winning a competition. It’s about making a contribution.

Research has shown time and time again that employees who have mentors tend to succeed with job promotions, salary growth, and decreased burnout. But in a time of social distancing, it’s become harder to meet new people and form mentor-mentee relationships. Despite the challenges to socializing in person, there are still ways to connect with potential mentors.

Here are three strategies you can use to build mutual and fulfilling long-term professional relationships.

People you may not have seen for a while, or do not even know, decide to learn all about you in 60 seconds in a litany of questions that you might find offensive or depleting.

Dorie Clark

Cal Newport Dorie Clark Adam Grant

Last month I had the opportunity to attend an industry conference with over 13,000 people from all around the world. At a time in my career where things felt a little too settled, I was excited for some new information, ideas and contacts.

It’s key part of American work culture, so how does a non-American adapt?

Most people are kept from success because they are lazy in their relationships. Specifically, they engage in relationships primarily for the help they will receive, not the help they can give. In this article, I detail the super-connector, Joe Polish's "Magic Rapport Formula."

Embracing this quality may make you more successful, too.

According to a new book, many of the things we learn about how to be successful are wrong.

Judy Robinette went from being a shy, bullied kid to networking her way into the Clinton Administration. Today, she's giving us her top networking advice.

It's "absolutely terrible for our credibility."

There are more-productive ways to build relationships.

Not sure how to write a Pain Letter directly to your hiring manager and leave the automated Black Hole recruiting portal behind? Here's the step-by-step!

Graduate beyond random coffee meetings.

On Networks, Connections, and Relationships

Rule One: Take pleasure in it. It’s not just a safety net, it’s YOUR net. ¶ I’ve long been told that I “know everyone.”…

Strategic plan