Why Publishing Beats Networking for Business Success, According to Tim Denning

In a recent LinkedIn post, Tim Denning challenges conventional wisdom around business networking, arguing that the emphasis on attending events and collecting contacts is a flawed strategy. Denning, a prolific content creator, suggests that the most successful individuals are often too busy building their ventures to participate in traditional networking activities. Instead, he advocates for a publishing-first approach, where creating and sharing valuable work attracts the right opportunities and connections organically.

Denning recounts his own past experiences, admitting to years spent attending conferences and making numerous coffee meetings with little tangible return. He likens collecting business cards to accumulating currency, a strategy he found ineffective. According to Denning, the people he truly wanted to connect with were not present at these events.

The people I actually wanted to meet weren’t at those events. They were too busy building. They didn’t have time to stand around hotel ballrooms making small talk with strangers hoping to extract value from them.

He posits that the individuals available at such events are often seeking the same thing as the attendees, leading to a situation where neither party has what the other truly needs. This, in Denning’s view, creates a negative selection process, prioritizing availability over ability.

The Flaws of Traditional Networking

Denning elaborates on what he terms the “warm intro economy,” suggesting it rewards those adept at asking for favors rather than those skilled at creating value. He observes that the conference circuit tends to attract individuals who wish to appear connected, rather than those actively engaged in meaningful work.

Filtering for Availability, Not Ability

The core of Denning’s critique lies in the nature of traditional networking events. He argues that by attending these events, individuals are inadvertently filtering for people who are simply available, rather than those who possess the skills, drive, or resources that could lead to genuine success. As Denning notes, “You’re filtering for availability, not ability.” This focus on presence over productivity, he believes, is a misallocation of time and energy.

The whole thing is negative selection. You’re filtering for availability, not ability.

The Power of Publishing

Denning’s perspective shifts dramatically when discussing the impact of publishing one’s work. He states that his own career trajectory changed when he stopped chasing connections and began publishing his ideas consistently and loudly. By putting his work out into the world without seeking permission, he found that the right people – clients, collaborators, and opportunities – discovered him.

Building Rooms Instead of Chasing Access

According to Denning, the act of publishing allows individuals to “build rooms people wanted to enter,” rather than trying to get into existing ones. This approach ensures that opportunities find them based on the merit and visibility of their work, rather than through the often-unpredictable and transactional nature of networking.

When I stopped chasing connections and started publishing my work loudly, everything changed. I wrote every day.

He contrasts this with the networking approach, which he describes as a bet that one can convince someone to share their time before any value has been proven. Publishing, conversely, is a bet on the quality and impact of one’s own output.

One-way broadcast beats two-way schmoozing every time. When you publish, you’re making a bet that your work is good enough to attract the right attention.

Denning emphasizes that influential individuals are often more interested in discovering people through their demonstrable output rather than through introductions or endorsements. Platforms like X and LinkedIn, he argues, are crucial in this new paradigm, enabling direct reach without the need for intermediaries. His concluding advice is clear: stop trying to cultivate relationships with those who lack momentum, and instead, build something so compelling that it cannot be ignored by the right audience.