{"id":78654,"date":"2015-12-02T20:51:19","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T01:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rbachnet.wwwmi3-ss40.a2hosted.com\/index.php\/"},"modified":"2021-08-15T20:05:54","modified_gmt":"2021-08-16T00:05:54","slug":"networking-haters-guide-to-networking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rbach.net\/index.php\/networking-haters-guide-to-networking\/","title":{"rendered":"Networking Haters Guide to Networking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Networking<\/a>Tom Searcy<\/a> posted some good advice<\/a> for CBS News<\/a> to improve your business networking<\/strong> even if you hate networking. The article is a couple of years old, but the suggestions her makes are still valid. He says:<\/p>\n

\"working<\/a>It\u2019s not all about you.<\/strong> Mr. Searcy explains that if you spend your time meeting people and trying to see if there is a way you can be of help to them, you put your mind in the right order and it is easier. Why? Because you may not be a great networker, but you are a great problem solver<\/strong>. If you can help someone else with an issue, idea, or contact, you are working in the sweet spot of your skills. Along the way, good things will happen for you, too.<\/p>\n

Set your goals.<\/strong> When you attend an event, the author recommends you pick out 1-3 people in advance<\/strong> to specifically meet.\u00a0 If they are not there, or they are completely swamped, go to your backup goal. Set a number of new people, the article suggests five or 10, to meet, ask two questions, and swap cards with.<\/p>\n

\"Set<\/a>Once you have hit your number, you are off the hook. You met your goal<\/strong> and you can go home, see a movie, catch the end of the game at the bar, it doesn\u2019t matter. You set a goal and you hit it. Networking events are not a prison sentence if you don\u2019t make them one.<\/p>\n

Ask good questions.<\/strong> \u201cWhat do you do?\u201d \u201cTell me about your company\u201d and \u201cHow long have you been with your company\/this industry\/this association?\u201d are all typical openers and they get typical answers<\/strong>. Boring. Try a few other questions instead:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat business problem does your company solve?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the best example you have of how you are doing that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat has been the biggest win for you\/your company in the last six months?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Good<\/a>\u201cWhat do you think it will be in the next six months?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the most interesting initiative you have planned at your company this year?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow will that change your company the most?\u201d<\/p>\n

The point is that you want to have thought provoking questions that start a conversation<\/strong> out of the norm. These questions should give you that. Once they have answered the questions, you have just one more to ask, \u201cThat\u2019s great, is there some way I can help you?<\/strong><\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ExitExit gracefully.<\/strong> The article says to make the most of networking events take the initiative to introduce yourself, control the conversation with a few questions, and then exit gracefully.<\/p>\n

There is a courtesy to be observed at a networking event that involves not monopolizing someone\u2019s time<\/strong>. This rhythm that she set was the right tempo to accomplish what a networking event should do.<\/p>\n

You should come away from the event with:<\/p>\n