Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ambition Magazine

FEATURE

It’s About People, Not Just Business

Caroline O’Neill, Digg For Success

speaking isn’t just standing on a stage. It’s picking up your phone and speaking to your online community. On LinkedIn, less than 1% of people actually post. That means showing up online consistently should be seen as an opportunity, rather than a huge effort of trying to push through a crowded market. You don’t need to take giant leaps to move forward. Kingsley calls it the theory of marginal gains. Getting 1% better at lots of small things can transform your results. In my own journey, I’ve seen this over and over again. Whether it was launching the Digg Podcast, showing up on social media through Digg Mama, or building new collaborations on Digg For Success, it was never one huge step. It was the small, consistent actions that created big change. IF NETWORKING TERRIFIES YOU, START SMALL: • Reconnect with someone this week whom you haven’t heard from in a while. • Comment thoughtfully on a LinkedIn post. Not just an emoji. Read what they have posted and make your comment genuine. • Share one story online, in written form or video. Even if it makes you feel nervous. • Don’t wait until you’re stuck to start building your network. Start now, with small, genuine steps. A smile. A message. A chat over coffee. Because you never know, the next person you meet could be the one conversation that changes everything for you.

Some of my most exciting collaborations have come from reaching out to someone I didn’t know well or saying yes to an event I nearly talked myself out of. THE 10-30-60 RULE OF CAREER PROGRESS Kingsley also said something in our interview that really stopped me in my tracks: doing a brilliant job at work only counts for 10% of your

F or many of us, the word “networking” can make us feel uneasy. We imagine going to an event where we know very few people, and being asked that dreaded question, “So, what do you do?”. After interviewing a great man, Kingsley Aikins, on the Digg Podcast, and looking back on my own journey, I’ve realised that networking isn’t about collecting business cards or adding random LinkedIn connections. It’s about building relationships, listening to people, and creating a community that helps you thrive in business and life. During Covid, our networks shrank. We stuck to family, close friends, and a handful of business contacts. But here’s the problem: real opportunity often comes from the weak ties, those people you know loosely, who open doors you’d never have found yourself. Kingsley describes it perfectly: your network is not just a safety net when things go wrong; it’s a trampoline that can bounce you into new opportunities when things are going right.

career progress. He explained that 30% comes from your image, your reputation, how people talk about you when you’re not in the room. 60% comes from exposure, who has seen you in action, who knows what you’re capable of, who’s watching when you deliver. I think this is a great reminder to people that we can’t hide behind hard work alone. We need to be visible. We need to speak up. We need to build networks that strengthen who we are and what we do. One of the myths about networking is that you have to be an extrovert, the life and soul of the party. In reality, introverts often make the best networkers because they listen, ask thoughtful questions, and show genuine curiosity. I love this because it means anyone can be great at networking. You don’t need to dominate the room. You just need to show up as yourself and give people the courtesy of listening to them. Did you know that public speaking is still the number one fear for most people, even above death? (Think about that for a second!) But in today’s world, public

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