Confident Personal Communications
Module 19
As part of your working life, attending networking events will most likely be a part of it. Here are techniques to improve your networking skill.
The key messages for this Module are:
- Before an event:
- Prepare a short description of your role
- Prepare questions you can ask people
- ‘Be a Puppy with a happy tail’
Before you attend an event prepare a short two sentence/phrase description of what you do. For example, here’s what I might say – I’m a business communication consultant – I often work, with executives and direct reports on conveying confidence through how they listen, speak and present themselves.
Also plan a few questions you can ask other people. One question I use is, “What do your customers like about you most?’
It’s also a good idea to put your role description and questions to ask people, in your smart phone, so you can easily refer to them, if you forget them when you’re at an event
Now let me explain ‘Be a puppy with a happy tail’
Imagine that a little puppy came into this room with its tail quickly wagging back and forth – in effect, it has a happy tail. The puppy comes over to me and I shoo it away. After it growls and moves away, what will it do next? . . . will it scamper off and go away angry . . . no – it will just shrug off that rejection and go to another person in the room
That’s how you should behave when people don’t invite you into their group conversation.
If people don’t invite you into their conversation – don’t get depressed and leave the event. Just be the puppy with the happy tail and go to another group of people.
Key Message
- Before an event:
- Prepare a short description of your role
- Prepare questions you can ask people
- ‘Be a Puppy with a happy tail’
Please practice the technique first in safe interactions until you’re able to perform it competently
To do right now, or to complete within the next 30 minutes:
Please locate your smart phone. Create a folder in an appropriate app in your phone with the title Networking Process, or Techniques for Networking etc.
In the folder write down a brief description of what you do in your role. Write down one to three questions you could ask people at an event. (If you like it, please write down my question mentioned in the clip).
Before any event refer to this folder, and keep on adding questions that you can ask at events.
What else could you do to put into practice ideas from this Module? Take 13 seconds to see if an idea pops up. Maybe watch the Module again if you have time.
