One of the regulars at my monthly We Hate Networking meetups recently told me to write about how hard this is. "What if people aren't nice to you? What if they say no? What if they don't like you? Write about that." Personally, I don't struggle with this very much, and I think I know [...]
Although I'm not a religious person, I love the holidays. Call it Hannukah, Solstice, Yule, Christmas, or whatever else; I love this season. The twinkling and flickering lights in the darkness of the long nights. The gathering of loved ones. The making and eating of special foods. The crispness of the outdoors and the coziness [...]
Who are you trying to find? In networking, it's important to define your target market. This is often understood to mean customers and clients, but in the case of networking it can be broader. It depends on what your reasons for networking are. You might be looking for friends, collaborators, suppliers, employees, etc. In any [...]
That's right, I said it. Introverts rock at networking. It's true. Introverts can actually be better at networking than extroverts. Shocked, are you? "What's the catch?" you ask? Here it is: Introverts rock at networking when they do it by embracing their natural strengths. This means that the path to good networking for an introvert [...]
Recently, I've talked a lot about how to avoid traditional networking events and still build your network (see: You Don't Need Networking Events). But that isn't always possible. Maybe your boss sends you to an industry mixer. Maybe you're at a conference with several networking breaks. Sooner or later, most of us will find ourselves in [...]
Let's face it: most of us would rather have a root canal than attend a networking event. Just the word "networking" conjures up images of the worst case scenario: a room full of strangers, struggling to make any connection, feeling pressured and uncomfortable. But here's the good news. Networking isn't actually about events. Networking is [...]
Whether you're looking to grow your own network, spark some connection within your work team, or foster ties between members of a broader group (like an association), volunteering can be a crackerjack tool. In my time as a corporate fundraiser, I both watched it in action and used it myself. Let's look at how it works for [...]
I Love Networking, Except When I Don't Although I usually love networking, like most people, I sometimes find myself in networking situations where I simply have no motivation. It feels wrong and goes poorly when the people there can't help me with any of my goals. This may sound selfish but keep in mind: networking takes time and [...]
We've all met our fair share of jerks. They’re loud, they’re angry. They’re pretty sure they know what's wrong, and who's at fault. And they're more than happy to spout off about it. I meet jerks in networking environments, in my work to help people connect and collaborate better within groups and organizations, and in my personal life. [...]
Asking Can Lead to Success Many years ago, I had a summer job as a server at a high end hotel. The management decided to run a contest. Whoever could get the most comment cards filled out would win a sweatshirt. As I write this, that sweatshirt is sitting in my dresser drawer. Here's how I did [...]
