Busy as a bee
Have you ever cringed when you hear the word ‘Networking’? Have you ever been tempted to sign-up for a Networking event but decided against it because the thought of meeting new people was kind of gross? You and me both, sis.
When I was at uni I used to despise the idea of networking, probably because I was somewhat intimidated by the greatness of other people who list off their many accomplishments. I wasn’t sure what I had to offer in the conversation, let alone whether they’d be interested to hear what I had to say. Add to that my tendency to gesture a lot while talking… well, let’s just say I have spilled many drinks onto the aforementioned Very Important People without a drop of alcohol in my system.
Fast forward about seven years to now, I recently had to admit to myself that I actually like networking. Yikes 😱. This realisation stemmed from an inkling that I had that I was reaching peak levels of meeting new people than ever before. So, of course I checked my calendar and roughly estimated that I have met around 60 new people these past two months. Double yikes! 😱
Given this completely unintended next-level-networking experience, I thought I’d share some of what I learned from those interactions to make the overall experience move from a cringy feeling to a more comfortable one.
1. There are some cool people doing fantastic mahi across the motu
Going into networking discussions with an open and curious mind can lead people to discuss what really lights them up. If you create spaces of acceptance and non-judgement, people will share with you what they’re doing and are passionate about.
Some of the mahi (work) that I have recently learned of are:
I have been pleasantly surprised with how many wholesome souls are out there, each operating in their different spaces and on their own journeys, with a common thread that they’re passionate about serving their communities.
2. Time-bound your networking sessions
If having a discussion online, consider utilising that 40-minute limit on Zoom and not be tempted to go over. Concentrating in online chats for long periods of time, particularly when taking in new information about the person, can be incredibly difficult. Even if the person you’re talking with is the best conversationalist in the world, I find it really helpful to keep the interaction shorter than an hour so that I have time to decompress and de-focus before moving onto the next task.
For in-person chats, you’ll have to work with the type of event you’re at. If you’re at an all-day workshop, consider how you want to break up your opportunities to network. For example, if a lunch break lasts 45 minutes, I may use 15 minutes to chill on my own in complete solitude, then the remaining time to talk with others.
Building in your chill time as well as considering how much time you actively want to spend engaging, helps makes the interactions more organic all round in my opinion 💁♀️.
3. Be your own biggest advocate
If someone has agreed to a networking conversation with you, allow them the best chance to get to know you!
Yes, the inner doubt and critic may be playing in the back of your mind as you accidentally say something embarrassing. But try to bring yourself to the table and own your accomplishments and energy as much as you can.
This is simply because I have found my favourite conversations and most interesting conversations are with people who own what they’re doing, no matter how niche or ‘nerdy’ it is. And those who express the desire to – these people are being their own advocates! It would be awesome for you to be yours.
4. Open conversations by asking about their interest in the event or a compliment
Sometimes you may have a little panic because you spot someone who looks interesting that you want to talk with, but you don’t know where to start.
Well, you already have a common connection! You’ve both found your way to the same event. So, start there! Asking people about what drew them into an event gives you something to both discuss almost instantly. If they said something particularly insightful or interesting, you can also use that as an opportunity to show that you were listening and you’re interested in what they’re doing!
Another way I like to open conversation is to compliment someone’s sense of style or items that they have that you think are cool. For example, I once saw someone who was wearing yellow earrings, shoes, and nail polish. When we reached morning tea, I went to them and said it was awesome that they colour coordinated their outfit and that the pops of colours against the navy blue they were wearing. If leading with a compliment, however, please be genuine and steer clear of commenting on their body or things people cannot choose (or don’t want to change) about themselves.
That brings us to the end of this post! Thank you for reading 😊
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All the best, e hoa 💗