Page 66 - Future Leaders Magazine

NETWORKING

Future Leader Fisayo
Adebajo explains how

university can be the
perfect opportunity to
mix with people outside
your usual social group,

and how this can help
give you the edge

am most comfortable in my own skin,
and so are you. Potentially, you might
be most comfortable surrounded by
I those who share a similar skin to you.
The notion that young black individuals
stick together is far from a myth, and
equally far from a disadvantage.
However, when your team begins to
look identical from all angles, it is time to
consider whether you truly must click with
someone to connect, or decide to connect
and find ways to click.
Diverting into higher education and
beyond, your fellow brothers and sisters
may provide a certain synergy you cannot
find from peers who differ from you in
upbringing, class, background or religion.
However, it is the lack of this synergy
that provides room for the formation of
new synergies.
It is no secret that the ‘real world’ you so
commonly hear of will force you to accept
these new synergies… but like a job in the
‘real world’, there are many benefits in
having prior experience.
not all connections will exceed academic The Click << Connect Theory
The university web is by far the greatest
opportunity for forming long-lasting
relations.
I can testify to the academic advantages
of connecting and eventually clicking with
international and differing peers. Inevitably,

use, but the stakes are higher when you
gamble more.
For college and sixth form
students particularly, the deep smoothly as it did. Your winnings worth. Get acquainted. The knowledge
end of your network pool is yet to range from academic to social to to be acquired from appreciating another
emerge but the better practice you future affiliations. background, upbringing or religion goes
have from early on, the better you To emphasise the use of beyond conversation’s sake. One can never
can swim through the deep end them all will merely reiterate anticipate the environments you may or may
when you arrive. what you already know. It is not be exposed to in the near future.
Had I not exercised expanding the benefits of connecting to Needless to say, not all, in fact very few,
my network beyond my usual click that many are aware of environments will emulate a room filled
surroundings, I can’t be sure but they fail to recognise with brothers and sisters. Being comfortable
that my transition from the importance of is good but it is easy. Outside your comfort
pursuing a career in starting as early as zone lies growth. As the desire for diverse
Medicine to pursuing today. Do not wait surroundings and organisations continues
Financial Services for a networking to surge, people are preparing. Don’t be left
would have run as event to increase behind, get connected.
your net The lack of cultural understanding by

64 FUTURE LEADERS | 2017-18