People report feeling dirty when they network—they feel like they are trying to get something for nothing. The best way to remedy this is to make sure you’re focusing on the people that you’re meeting and serving them rather than on what they can provide.

You have to ask yourself a few questions while pursuing these new relationships:

Do we “connect”?
Am I interested in what this person is saying? Is he/she interested in what I’m saying?
Would I want to spend time with this person outside of a professional context?
How can I help this person reach his/her goals and be of service to him/her?
Genuine connection will get you further than surface encounters. Today, business is less about profit and more about purpose and connection. Once you focus on relationships, your networking skills will increase greatly. You will see your network grow as you begin to focus on the joy of making new friends.