How is Networking Like the Card Game Memory?

Do you remember the card game Memory?

A deck of 52 cards is laid face down on a table and the game is to flip two cards over at a time to see if you can find a match. If no match is found then the two cards are returned to the face down position and the next player takes a turn to see if they can make a match. Each match that you make is worth a point. The winner is the person who makes the most matches.

So how is this like networking? Well, what level of knowledge do you have about the value of each card at the beginning of a game of Memory? Absolutely none, right? Sounds just like entering a room full of people who you don’t know or entering a new community.

Success isn't built by what you get, rather it is what you give that builds your value. Making matches in networking happens when you engage with and learn about the people you meet and then connect them to people who they would likely benefit from knowing. You gain points, goodwill, when you make valuable matches for both parties.