How to network in a way that is attractive and not transactional

The benefits of networking are exalted in many online business publications. Some even say that it is crucial.

“Nothing can ever replace the opportunity to sit down with someone, have a cup of coffee and connect on a personal level,” Jacob Morgan expresses so perfectly in the Financial Times.

While sitting with Kenza Majbar over tea in the lobby of the Lausanne Palace, I found myself in awe of Kenza’s natural openness, joy, passion, and sense of purpose. She listened carefully to my questions and answered them without calculation.

Getting to know Kenza this way also helped me understand why her LinkedIn profile calls her a “serial networker” and why the marketing people at Internations — the largest global expat network — put me in contact with her.

Not only was this interview recommendation a clear endorsement of her skills as a networker, they’ve granted the 33-year-old telecommunications engineer the title of “Ambassador.” It’s a pretty big deal, as there are only four of them in Lausanne.

The Internations website says: “Ambassadors are natural networkers; they’re responsible for organizing large, monthly events for the whole community…” That’s true of Kenza, who plans a minimum of six events for the organization each year as a hobby, on top of her full-time job as an IT project manager at Swisscom.

Interestingly, her work and her pastime have something in common. At Swisscom, she creates telecommunications networks, a job that requires linking terminal nodes to enable signaling between terminals.

“It’s the same thing with humans,” she says with an infectious laugh. “And I just love connecting people.”

Kenza has discovered the benefits of networking on many occasions. One of these times was in Hong Kong, where she lived briefly and discovered Internations. There she learned the value of networking for personal reasons as she found herself alone — again — in a new city. Being without family and friends in a new city was something she had already experienced when she moved to Lausanne from Morocco. During that time, while attending the School of Business and Engineering Vaud, she struggled to make ends meet. To raise herself out of poverty, she worked on the side, babysitting and working at Migros.

But what catapulted her career was joining a local engineering association and exploring the networking opportunities it provided. “When I first arrived in the group, I felt intimidated. I only saw Swisscom managers… mostly men,” she says. “Over time, they gave me advice and mentored me, which opened a lot of doors.” By taking on projects and roles, and committing herself to her career, she soon became the association’s president.

She credits her determination and perseverance for her success. Did she have doubts? Sure, she says, but with the right mindset and spirit, she forged ahead.

Not only should professionals develop and maintain networks within their industries, they should do so outside of their usual circles as well. Dorie Clark — a consultant, coach, and author of entrepreneurial books — stresses the importance of networking outside of one’s usual industry in her Harvard Business Review article Start Networking with People Outside Your Industry.

“First, if your network has become too narrow, you limit your options in case of a career change, or a downturn in your company or industry. If coworkers are the only ones you know well, and you find yourself in the midst of layoffs, there’s no one to turn to for outside assistance.”

This is what an organization like Internations provides: the opportunity to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life.

It can feel like work, but not for Kenza. She values doing things for the love of doing them, even if they have no financial upside. Networking or doing work without expecting money often draws criticism from locals, though, Kenza says. “People think everything should be done for money, but I think it’s okay to give your time,” she says.

The experts agree. Not focusing on what others can do for you and staying patient are important skills, according to an online article by various coaches at Forbes.

“The best reason to build a professionally diverse network, however, isn’t about what you’ll get out of those relationships. It’s to fulfill personal curiosity and develop yourself as a person; professional or monetary ROI is a happy coincidence,” Dorie Clark writes.

And self-development is one of Kenza’s passions.

Personal Development

Though Kenza feels there is a lack of openness and personal development events in Lausanne, she says things are changing. “People are more and more open to personal development,” she says. “I want to open people’s spirits.”

As a matter of fact, she says that if she could change one thing, it would be to make the world more human. She believes in the healing power of laughter, which is why she runs Laughter Yoga sessions called “Intinceller de Rire.” She is also working on a project called the Wellness Alliance, the focus of which will be to create wellbeing salons to bring therapists and coaches together.

“People are too much in their heads. They forget to connect with their hearts,” she says.

One of the lessons she has learned is to ask for help and risk being oneself.

She thought at one point she should act strong and play a role, but this led to unhappiness. “It made me see that I wasn’t myself. It’s while being true to ourselves that we shine.”

Many wonder how a busy professional like Kenza fits everything into her day. “I work on setting priorities using a special planner,” she says. She also meditates and uses a life coach.

One of her goals is to write a book about her life, which is rich and colorful. After passing the naturalization test to become Swiss, the authorities asked her to help them assist others. Now she teaches courses to immigrants once monthly in Renens and encourages them to create their own networks.

Each year, during the week following Christmas, she organizes meals for the less fortunate. And when she is in her city of origin, Marrakesh, she organizes teas for the elderly.

She would like to bring a charitable component to the Internations events as well.

“I am fulfilled,” she says. “If you give, things come back to you.”

Kenza Majbar lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is a telecommunications engineer and IT project manager at Swisscom. In her free time, she serves as one of the Ambassadors at Internations, the largest global expat network operating in 390 cities worldwide. In her free time, Majbar also runs a Laughter Yoga program Intinceller de Rire and is working on a project called the Wellness Alliance, the focus of which will be to create wellbeing salons to bring therapists and coaches together.