Heather White, CEO, Smarter Networking, will be running a training and development session as part of #SHE1000 at Safety & Health Expo. In this article she explains the importance of networking, how to work a room and seven things she’ll teach you in June.
So much of today’s business and career development is about speed. How quickly can we access knowledge and connections? Whether you’re a lone worker or employed in a large organisation networking is vital to your success.
One of the fastest ways and often the most reliable ways to gain knowledge and connections, is by reaching out to our networks and asking questions. One of the things I love most about networking is meeting new people (or re-establishing contact), learning about other people’s expertise and gaining access to new knowledge and connections.
You might have heard that we have entered the ‘sharing economy’ – a socio-economic system built around the sharing of human, physical and intellectual resources – well, people who network do this all the time.
We have to do away with old-fashioned notion that networking is nepotistic and superficial – it’s not true! Networking is important on so many levels – good networkers are genuine, authentic and actively changing the world.
Let’s compare great networkers to great leaders, business people and communicators.
They all share the same skills: they ask good questions; they are great listeners; they are curious and willing; they make connections; and they share stuff.
I find that the most important skill of all is the willingness to stick out your hand and say hello. From that point, conversations start and that’s when opportunities materialise. Good luck happens because we put ourselves in the way of it by being of service to others.
So how willing are you to stick out your hand to say hello to random people? Fancy having some outrageous fun whilst learning and meeting some amazing people? At the #SHE1000 session at Safety & Health Expo, I will be running a highly practical workshop on how to work the room professionally with confidence and ease. It will work for those of you who are really shy as well as the more gregarious personalities out there. Imagine the energy in the room and the connections you will make mingling with hundreds of people who are open, interested and bursting with useful information!
Attending networking events is something we all have to do from time to time and most of us find it hard. I’m going to show you some of the tricks of the trade to make it far easier.
I promise to cover the 7 following things in my session, and if we run out of time you’ll get a free copy of my eBook How to Work a Room.
Share with me your biggest concern about attending networking events in the comments section below and I’ll aim to talk it through on the day.
Join #SHE1000 at Safety & Health Expo.
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HI Heather,
My biggest concern about attending networking events is embarrassing myself, saying the wrong thing, being taken the wrong way etc. as an ex-soldier my sense of humour may come across as cold hearted/uncaring which is due to the way I and others dealt with highly stressful situations.
I fid it difficult to find the right words in asking questions which will not offend someone or other.
Kind regards
Paul
Me, I love the forces sense of humour. But I get what you are saying Paul. You have hit on a key issue here. People are worried about saying / doing the wrong thing and then looking silly. Me too. What i do in these situations is ask more rather than say more. I remember once someone saying how intelligent I was. I looked over my shoulder to see who they were talking to!! Something you will be very familiar with is practising to get good. My practical side forces me to get into difficult situation’s and learn how to recover. What works I do again. What doesn’t…well don’t repeat. What works. Ask questions, listen, pick up a tread and take that deeper. Have an opinion on what’s being said. Involve others in the chat. That works 100%. Humour yes use it…carefully
Morning Heather,
I will not unfortunately, be able to your training and development session at #SHE1000
Could you send me details of where I can purchase your eBook “How to Work a Room”
Thanking you
Ronnie.