Your career may start with what you know, but where it goes often depends on who knows you, who trusts you, who recommends you, and who is willing to open a door.

In this episode of Girl in the Game, Gayle Dickie challenges the traditional idea of networking and shares 10 rules for building genuine professional relationships that can last throughout your career.

From staying connected before you need something and becoming genuinely interested in other people, to following up, protecting your reputation, building relationships across generations, and having the courage to make the first move, Gayle explains why the strongest networks are built on trust, generosity, curiosity, and consistency.

She also explores why you should never underestimate a casual connection, why access doesn’t equal relationship, and why creating value for others without keeping score can lead to opportunities you could never have planned.

Because networking isn’t about collecting contacts or working a room. It’s about building relationships that matter, and sometimes one conversation can change the entire game.