Too many people confuse the process we call “mingling”, “socializing” or “working a room” with “networking”. This article has both concepts because they are different skills but mesh for success.
Some people are superb socializers but have no interest in followup or maintaining the connection. I’ve called them the Hail Well-Met and Hardy Boys and Girls; they are the one night stands of business mixers, parties or conferences. Others are superb at followup and do what they say they’ll do when they said they’ll do it. We can rely on them because they kept their word. They are savvy networkers. Yet, walking into an event full of people they don’t know, feels daunting.
Working a room and Networking are the Dynamic Duo
I was recently invited to write an article for Society of Human Resource Management to share my information, research and suggestions based on both How To Work a Room® (my classic bestseller) and my favorite book, The Secrets of Savvy Networking. It’s a perfect quick-read guideline for anyone attending an event. It includes quotes from author Daniel Pink, Dr. Adele Scheele and Patricia Fripp that are practical and replicable and can be easily implemented.
Finding Mingling Role Models
You’ll learn how to break the ice, enter a pre-existing conversation circle and ways to exit conversations…. gracefully. It includes a story of how a self-described “quiet” person learned to approach a room full of people and why she was inspired by her role model mentor. Coincidentally, she started as a receptionist and rose to become the vice-president of human resources.
Feel free to download and keep a copy in an easy-to-find place. Share it with family and friends who are invited to a biz event or social gathering or are planning to pivot or find a new job.
Click here for the full article.
About Susan RoAne
