Hate networking? Here’s an alternative

So many career-coaching clients say to me that they think they should be networking but they’re no good at it. And then they berate themselves for what they perceive as a personal failing.

But the thing is, often those people are thinking about networking like this: attending stuffy events, business card in hand, desperate to meet people who might be able to further your professional standing.

And if you think about it do you really want to be good at that?!

I had an experience a few months back where I went to an interesting talk. During the Mingling Bit beforehand, people all around me were introducing each other and having conversations with folk they were only half listening to while they looked over that person’s shoulder in an attempt to see who everyone else was speaking to in order to decide whether there was, in fact, someone more useful that they could be networking with.

blegh. It was horrible.

And then I started chatting to someone who was warm and lovely and interesting. And curiously, a few months down the track she has [very generously] pointed a few new clients in my direction. But I hadn’t anticipated that, I was just speaking to her because I thought she seemed terrific.

The thing is, in work and in business, you never know where the magic will happen. You never know who will have an interesting idea or a contact to offer or a client to refer on. And I would put money on those things happening more effectively and seamlessly [and more importantly, joyfully!] when you’re speaking to someone you’re really enjoying and connecting with, authentically.

So maybe the next time you go to a networking event, put your card away for a while. Make your goal just to speak with someone on a human level. Use your strengths: listening, asking questions, making people laugh, having insights…

And then trust that good things will come [whatever form they might take].

Tags: life-coaching, Melbourne