How to find a network with the best fit for you

Try it on for size. "You network for a number of reasons--for knowledge, for friends, for business," says CXOnetworking president Mitchell Levy. "When you walk into a networking group you should have a feeling for which [of those] things you want." He suggests trying them on for size. Many groups offer free trials to observe a monthly meeting and get a sense of whether you've found what you're looking for.

Smaller is better for personal development. If you're looking for a group that can support you through career decisions or help you work through long-term business changes, find one that includes regular meetings with a small attendance. When a long-time member of Board of CEOs told the group that he was interested in selling his company, other group members hesitated. They understood his business structure well enough to know that it would be unattractive to buyers, and they recommended he wait until he could bring in better management and make the company more attractive to potential buyers. Vistage, Adaptive Business Leaders, and Board of CEOs all have small, monthly meetings that include time for members to present issues for the network to address.

Bigger is better for partnership and collaboration. Large conferences and meetings are great places to gather ideas, and they increase the chances that the next person you talk to will lead to new business. It worked for Arlene Morris, the CEO of Affymax. By simply sitting next to Genentech's vice president for business development at a networking meeting in California, Morris, then an executive at Scios, initiated one of the largest deals in biotech in the 1990s on a drug for treating acute renal failure. "Sometimes very casual things can be very successful," Morris says.

A mixed bag is best for diverse business strategies. If you're looking for creative solutions for your issues with management, business planning, or customer relations, you should go to executives who have a range of perspectives. Dan Eckert, the president of PolyRemedy, a medical manufacturing company, chose Vistage because of the variety of backgrounds in his peer group. One member in his group runs one of the largest businesses in the garlic industry, "but [because of] the ways they relate to their customers, I've gained interesting insight," Eckert says. The member pressed the importance of understanding how the product fits into people's lives, "so that they can create products and supporting marketing programs that meet their needs."

Stick with your industry for the veteran perspective. If you have issues that are specific to the life-sciences industry, look to groups such as Adaptive Business Leaders for insight that carries the weight of experience. Members will have a better understanding of the specific issues your business encounters, such as drug approval regulations or venture capital.

For a tight schedule, go virtual. If you don't have time each month to spend a half day to a day in networking meetings, consider virtual services. LinkedIn offers totally Web-based networking (see "Better work through the network," The Scientist, 21(6): 79-81, June 2007).