Networking if you hate it

Networking events can sometimes be characterised by the smell of suppressed desperation.

Business cards are flung at you like frizbees, soon followed by stilted and joyless conversation, whilst you try to balance a sushi roll and a beer.

The drudge of meeting people you’d never usually spend time with can be exhausting.

I’ve done networking training for people who loathe networking: everyone from Financial Analysts to Chief Information Officers.

What’s helped them all break through the pain barrier though is this…

as soon as I reframe it from:

Networking (“Puke, ach, I hate it.  It’s a drudge.” ?)
to
Meeting people (“Ah, I can do that.  I do that all the time.” ?)

then, suddenly, it’s a different experience.

In my view, for what it’s worth, you never know where ‘meeting people’ may lead.  So here’s my motto.  I only keep those in my reach who I like and trust.  You never know how relationships may materialise.  So here’s a list of reasons that you’d be ‘meeting people’ at a given event.

This takes the desperation away.  There’s usually more than one benefit to these events.  As soon as you open up the way you think about them, you’ll be more open to opportunities.

Reasons for Networking:

1. You want to change the direction of your career
2. You’re looking for a new job
3. Have some fun
4. Meet a speaker
5. There’s a forum, or potential of a forum to test out skills, ideas and products
6. You want to be promoted
7. Make the first contact with a particular person
8. Cement a relationship with a particular person
9. Set up an appointment with a particular person
10. Introduce a contact to this forum
11. It’s an opportunity for you to develop personal skills
12. You want to reach the very top
13. You need to find new suppliers
14. You’re looking for consultants to guide
15. You’re seeking new ways to expand your customer base
16. You want to set up a new business or charitable project
17. An environment to consolidate or develop relationships with your teams and clients
18. You’re searching for investors
19. You’re on the look-out for new ideas
20. You want to expand your virtual team
21. You’re seeking ways to share resources
22. You’re looking for employees
23. A shortcut to personal goals
24. You’re looking for partners with whom to build strategic alliances
25. You need to insure your career against a ‘rainy day’
26. You’re sourcing industry knowledge
27. You need to intelligence gather to make an informed decision
28. This is a way of influencing key people

Your Action Step

1. Tick at least two of these goals for this month.
2. Stick them on a post-it note / on your phone / in a notepad.  This will help to keep you focused on what you want when you’re networking, meeting people, I mean.