Many people offer advice about what it takes to be a great networker (myself amongst them). One thing that is left out of that equation, however, is what other people think about what it takes to be a great networker. Networking involves interacting with others. So what do “they” think it takes to be a great networker? This is important because we all need to be cognizant of other people’s expectations and adjust our behavior accordingly if we want to make the kind of impression that will work to build a powerful personal network.

Recently, I took the opportunity to gather almost 3,400 survey responses from business people around the world. I gave them a list of almost 20 different characteristics on networking and I asked them to pick the top behaviors they’d like to see. From those responses, I have identified the top characteristics of what people believe makes a great networker and have listed them here.