The Hustle, before it became a respectable word in business vocabulary, simply meant cool dance steps.  Now, it is equivalent to navigating stakeholders and the environment to help achieve career success and business growth.  ‘Hustling,’ de-romanticised simply equals to good, old fashioned, ‘networking.’

Why does hustling, now officially recognised as a new-age capability, play a sizeable role in business acquisition or career advancement? Why does it feel so necessary to ramp up connecting with people?  Michael Jenkins, CEO, Expert Humans, offers, “You could have the best service or product in the world but if people aren’t aware, you’re going to end up hiding your light under a bushel.”

Yoosuf Moiz, Managing Director, Asia & Middle East, Duke Corporate Education, clarifies. “Networking is essential for business and career development and creates avenues to understanding and exposure to new opportunities, ideas and thinking.”  For Life Design Coach at Alt Lyf, Abhi Patwardhan, the experience was just that.  “I had just moved to Singapore in late 1998.  The country was going through the turmoil of the Asian crisis.  A batchmate suggested I meet a journalist friend.  Three months later, he introduced me to my soon-to-be boss. I scored my first job in in a crisis!”

Networking enables visibility.  It establishes mindshare before a relationship evolves into a ‘mutually beneficial’ association.  With technology determining the way we work and live, geographical boundaries aren’t a handicap.  With zero costs, and entry points not being a barrier, everyone’s welcome to the party!  “In my early professional years, I really didn’t network.  I was too focused on work; never occurred to me that I should network to get more business.  As we grew, the need to network and hence the going to events and conferences started,” says Priyanka Agrawal, Country Head, Isobar Consulting and Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Fractal Ink.”