You just know that big-time networker Susan RoAne would love Joaquin Andujar, a Major League baseball pitcher in the 1970s and 1980s, especially because of the quotation he is most famous for. “My favorite word in English,” he once said, “is ‘youneverknow.’ ”

And that, in essence, is why people who make the biggest gains out of networking are those who aren’t constantly thinking about how they can advance their own agenda.

“Stay in touch with people when you need nothing from them,” said RoAne, a Northern California author whose latest book is “How to Create Your Own Luck: The ‘You Never Know’ Approach to Networking, Taking Chances, and Opening Yourself to Opportunity” (John Wiley & Sons).

During an interview, RoAne said the people who end up with the most “luck” are generally those who don’t mind talking with strangers — people who manage to stay in touch with others they recently met and who are open to all sorts of experiences.

She said many people who specialize in productivity and time management talk about the importance of workers learning to say “no” so that their schedules don’t become overwhelming, but that also limits your chances of stumbling across great opportunities.

Suppose you get invited to a business-related holiday party — one that isn’t crucial. “Don’t say ‘no’ automatically. Think about it.”

Yes, you probably do have a busy schedule and might feel as if you’re wasting an extra couple of hours by going to that party, RoAne said. But if you don’t go, you’re also giving up the chance to meet some intriguing people and possibly stumble into something that could change your career or life.

Is there a huge probability that will happen? Certainly not. There’s not a huge probability that a golfer will make a hole in one, either, but those who hit 5,000 shots are a lot more likely to make one than those who hit 500.

Luck also involves knowing how to make small talk, which gives you the chance to meet people. RoAne said she understands how hard it can be to start a conversation with a stranger, but sometimes using your powers of observation can tell you something about their interests and break the ice.

“Notice what people are wearing,” she said. “A guy who wears a tie with boats on it — duh.

“If they’re giving you something to talk about, take it.”

In her book, RoAne tells an anecdote about how author and consultant Mark Mayberry had a long flight delay, so he went into the Delta Crown Club and started commiserating with another passenger because a televised golf tournament wasn’t available in the club. They ended up telling each other golf stories and sharing a few laughs.

During the course of the conversation, Mayberry learned that the man had recently been appointed as president of an airline company. When they finally headed off to their flight, Mayberry asked the man for his contact information. He sent him his book, then touched base with him again later.

Because of that chance encounter — and following up on it, of course — Mayberry ended up with two consulting contracts worth more than $500,000.

My two cents: Certainly Mayberry didn’t start the conversation with any grand expectations. He was just being nice. But you’re a lot more likely to find serendipity if you interact with other people than if you just mumble to yourself.

Even if you don’t like talking with strangers, just keeping in touch regularly with people you do know can be a huge help. It looks tacky and self-serving if you call people only when you need a job or are looking for clients or favors.

In the interview, RoAne said that luck also seems to find those people who take on tasks that might not be ideal, but are good steppingstones. They help the position grow, or find a way to shift into something better.

“Sometimes we’re looking for that brass ring, and sometimes we don’t realize that for a few minutes, we have to hang on to the pewter ring instead.”