Lecturer
How to Network: Leading Yourself to Lead Others
What You'll Learn
- Build a networking mindset.
- Create your own action plan to live out your purpose, both personally and professionally.
- Examine your purpose, analyze your personal brand, and learn about networking with confidence.
4 Modules
24 Hours
6 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About How to Network: Leading Yourself to Lead Others
Life is a relationship business, and the world is our work. Success in today’s complex, dynamic, and unpredictable world depends on our ability to cultivate, nurture, and activate relationships. This course – designed for students, professionals, and executives – will inspire learners to build a networking mindset and harness the power of networking to solve problems, create opportunities, and live out their respective purposes and goals.
A networking mindset is a strategic advantage in life and business. In this course, you will learn what networking really is and how to cultivate a networking mindset. You will also have the opportunity to clarify your purpose, analyze your personal brand, and learn the structure and method to building, nurturing, and activating relationships, so you can network with confidence to achieve your goals – and do so faster. You will also create your own action plan to live out your purpose, both personally and professionally.
This course serves all: from students and recent college graduates who face challenges in translating their degrees and experiences to a job, to professionals who feel stuck and unfulfilled with their lives, to senior leaders and executives who have realized that a networking mindset is necessary to drive greater organizational success and need help figuring out how to go about it.
Skills You'll Gain
- Business Networking
- Develop Networks
- Personal Branding
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to How to Network: Leading Yourself to Lead Others, an online course designed to teach you the true purpose of networking. This course goes beyond tips and strategies, helping you understand networking as a tool to achieve your goals and live a purpose-driven life. You will explore the networking mindset, personal branding, leadership, and self-leadership while learning to build, nurture, and activate meaningful relationships.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: The Connection Between Leadership, Purpose, and Networking
- Video: Welcome to the Course
- Reading: Meet your Instructor
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: Using the Course Workbook
- Reading: Pre-Course Reflection: Your Goals & Intention for the Course
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Video: What is networking?
- Video: What is NOT networking?
- Reading: What are the benefits of networking?
- Video: What are the benefits of networking?
- Video: What is leadership?
- Reading: Workbook: Who is a leader you admire?
- Video: What is purpose?
- Discussion Prompt: Who do you know that lives their purpose?
- Reading: How do great leaders inspire action?
- Reading: Workbook: What are your main takeaways from Simon Sinek's talk?
- Video: What are values?
- Video: What is personal brand?
- Video: What is positional authority?
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 2 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Video: Why do people network?
- Video: What is the goal of leadership?
- Reading: Why are all great leaders empowered by purpose?
- Video: Why are all great leaders empowered by purpose?
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 3 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Video: How do purpose, leadership, and networking work together?
- Video: What role do personal brand and positional authority play in a leader’s identity?
- Video: What are the components of a leader’s identity?
- Reading: What is the difference between formal and informal influence?
- Video: What is the difference between formal and informal influence?
- Reading: What is the difference between leadership and authority?
- Video: What is the difference between leadership and authority?
- Reading: Workbook: Why are you inspired by certain leaders?
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 4 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: What is a “moment of lift” and why is it the key to leadership -- and what does it look like?
- Video: What is a “moment of lift” and why is it the key to leadership?
- Reading: First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy
- Reading: Workbook: Expressing and Communicating Leadership
- Discussion Prompt: Moment of Lift Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Your Own Networking Journey
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 5 Reflection & Discussion
Module 2: The Networking Mindset and the Networking Process
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: What is a mindset? - The Definition
- Reading: What is mindset? - Driving Results
- Reading: Workbook: Aha moment - Mindset Shift
- Reading: Why is mindset important to leader and leadership development?
- Video: Why is mindset important to leader and leadership development?
- Reading: How do you change behavior?
- Reading: Workbook: Relationships and Gratitude
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Video: What is the networking mindset?
- Reading: Workbook: Great Networkers & Insights from Quotes
- Video: How do you spot a networking mindset?
- Discussion Prompt: Understanding the Networking Mindset
- Video: What is the question to ask first when thinking of engaging the network?
- Reading: What do I do if I don’t have a network?
- Reading: How can networking solve a problem?
- Video: How can networking solve a problem?
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 2 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Reading: What is the importance of having a structure to create change??
- Video: What is the importance of having a structure to create change? (Part 1)
- Video: What is the importance of having a structure to create change? (Part 2)
- Video: What is the networking process?
- Reading: Networking Process - Step 1: What is a goal?
- Video: Networking Process - Step 1: What is a goal?
- Reading: Workbook: SMART Goal Exercise
- Reading: Networking Process - Step 2: How do I brainstorm like a connector?
- Discussion Prompt: Practicing Step 2 - Brainstorm like a Connector
- Video: Networking Process - Step 3: How do I engage the network?
- Reading: Case Studies of the Networking Process
- Reading: What are the elements of a good ask?
- Video: What are the elements of a good ask?
- Reading: Networking Process - Step 4: What role does feedback play in relationship building?
- Video: Networking Process - Step 4: What role does feedback play in relationship building?
- Reading: What is the importance of gratitude in leadership development?
- Video: What is the importance of gratitude in leadership development?
- Reading: Workbook: Lesson 3 Reflections
- Graded Assignment: Lesson 3: Understanding the Networking Process
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Video: Why is strategic networking intentional?
- Discussion Prompt: Networking Mindset Examples and Non-Examples
- Reading: What are 3 ways to maximize networking events?
- Video: Why are the best leaders expert networkers?
- Video: Why do strategic networkers have the highest impact?
- Reading: What sets strategic networkers apart from others?
- Reading: Workbook: Networking Mindset in action and self-follow up
- Discussion Prompt: Week 2 Reflection & Discussion
Module 3: Self-Leadership
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Reading: Why is leader development important?
- Video: Why is leader development important?
- Reading: What is self-leadership and why is it important?
- Video: What is self-leadership and why is it important?
- Reading: How to build self-esteem and improve mental health?
- Reading: What is emotional intelligence and why is it important to leader development?
- Video: What is emotional intelligence and why is it important to leader development?
- Discussion Prompt: Why would a leader need to know themselves first in order to best lead others?
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Video: How to articulate your life's purpose?
- Reading: What is an origin story?
- Reading: Workbook: Origin Story Activities
- Reading: Workbook: Guiding Values
- Reading: Workbook: Practicing Self-Leadership
- Reading: What is a purpose statement?
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-Lesson Reflection
- Reading: How to define your personal brand?
- Video: How to define your personal brand?
- Reading: Workbook: How do others see you?
- Video: What role do networking tools play in personal branding?
- Reading: What is an Elevator Pitch?
- Reading: Workbook: Elevator Pitch Exercise
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 3 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Workbook: Pre-lesson Reflection
- Reading: How do I deepen my relationship with myself and what role does coaching play in self-leadership?
- Reading: What role do personality assessments play in leader development?
- Video: What role do personality assessments play in leader development?
- Reading: What is the role of energy in leadership?
- Video: What is the role of energy in leadership?
- Discussion Prompt: Week 3 Reflection & Discussion
- Discussion Prompt: Optional: Share a TED Talk
Module 4: Leading Others
- Reading: Workbook: Week 4 Notes & Reflections
- Video: Why is self-leadership the key to activating your networking mindset?
- Video: What are the five qualities of effective leaders?
- Video: How do people show up as leaders?
- Graded Assignment: Lesson 1: Strategic Networking
- Video: How to build (and build on to existing) relationships?
- Reading: How to nurture relationships and what is the role of trust when networking?
- Video: How to nurture relationships and what is the role of trust when networking?
- Reading: How do leaders build trust?
- Reading: Why does leadership require psychological safety?
- Reading: How does compassion build trust?
- Video: How does compassion build trust?
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 2 Reflection & Discussion
- Video: How to activate relationships: What does networking look like in practice?
- Reading: How to create structure around networking?
- Reading: How to conduct an informational interview?
- Reading: How do you network online?
- Video: How do you network online?
- Reading: How to network in different cultures?
- Reading: How to Win the Game of Life: Networking like the Best
- Reading: How to develop a caring mindset, the fundamental quality of a leader?
- Video: How to develop a caring mindset, the fundamental quality of a leader?
- Reading: How do great leaders lead?
- Video: How do great leaders lead? (Part 1)
- Video: How do great leaders lead? (Part 2)
- Discussion Prompt: Lesson 3 Reflection & Discussion
- Reading: Introduction to the Networking Action Plan
- Video: Course Conclusion: Why is networking about building community?
- Reading: Course Feedback
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online!
Grading Policy
To earn the course certificate, learners must achieve an overall grade of 80%. The course grade is based on five quizzes worth 12% each (60%) and a “Networking Action Plan Reflection” assignment worth 40% of the course grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
This course serves all: from students and recent college graduates to current professionals to senior leaders and executives
