Beyond ‘Useful’: Archita Fritz on the True Value of Professional Networks

In a recent LinkedIn post, Archita Fritz shares a deeply personal and powerful reflection on the nature of professional networking, urging leaders to look beyond transactional benefits and cultivate genuine human connections. Fritz recounts her experience during an Executive MBA program, where the primary motivation for many, including herself, was to build a network for future career advancement, board opportunities, and investor connections.

However, Fritz highlights that the most impactful connection she made was not through a strategic introduction but through an act of profound personal support during a crisis. She writes:

“You might be joining an Executive MBA, a board readiness programme or another leadership community because you want to build your network. You’re probably imagining the introductions, the board opportunities, the investors, and the people who might one day help you land your next role.”

The Unexpected Power of Human Connection

Fritz details the experience of being laid off over three years ago, a moment of significant professional upheaval. While many contacts offered standard messages of support, one friend, Sam, responded in a way that transcended typical professional courtesies. Sam booked a flight to Düsseldorf on the very day Fritz lost her job.

This act of immediate, tangible support, Fritz emphasizes, was far more valuable than any strategic networking contact she had sought. She explains the profound impact of Sam’s presence:

“I’d lost my job, yes, but she reminded me, I hadn’t lost myself.”

Fritz underscores that while the intention behind joining leadership communities is often to gain access to influential individuals, the most meaningful relationships can arise unexpectedly and offer support precisely when it’s needed most, regardless of immediate professional utility.

Cultivating Authentic Relationships

The narrative continues with Fritz recounting a recent dinner with Sam, three years after the layoff. She expresses her gratitude, stating that Sam’s supportive action was life-changing, providing the belief needed to build a new career path. The story takes a poignant turn as Fritz reveals how she and Sam met:

“We met in a karaoke bar many years prior in suburban Chicago after one of those marathon Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA days. I was seven months pregnant, enthusiastically murdering Genie in a Bottle. Neither of us had any idea we were meeting someone who would one day change the other’s life.”

This anecdote serves as a powerful illustration of Fritz’s core message: the most valuable connections might not be the ones actively sought for their perceived usefulness, but those built on genuine human interaction and mutual care. As Archita Fritz advises:

“So yes, build your network. Just do not become so busy looking for the most ‘useful’ person in the room that you miss the gem of a human being standing beside you.”

Fritz extends this thought with a postscript, prompting readers to consider the dormant, yet potentially extraordinary, friendships within their existing networks. She encourages proactive investment in these relationships, rather than waiting for a crisis to necessitate them. In Archita Fritz’s view, true networking is less about strategic acquisition and more about the cultivation of authentic, supportive human bonds that can sustain individuals through professional challenges.