Networking Dos and Don’ts: Avoid Cliques

Most networking groups are full of cliques, though that is the last thing you want when you’re paying to connect with all the members. This isn’t just true for those who may be left out of cliques—this is also true for the “in crowd.” Each member in your group comes with unique gifts to offer. Don’t limit your association to just a few select members, or you will miss out.

You’re not likely to see cliques in our groups, even if you have a tendency to move toward them. Our leadership is armed with strategies that guarantee you’re not going to see a clique for more than one meeting. We train our franchise owners to be on the lookout for them. Because we move around in every meeting, we can move people who are in a clique to another spot to participate in another activity with other people. No one in the group even knows it’s happening. However, one of the things that I’m told most often by guests is, “I’ve never been to a networking group where I was so welcomed and felt so little pressure to join.” I’m often told by members, “You know, one of the things I love about Networking in Action is that there aren’t any cliques.”