Success Champions
Networking. It’s more than giving away business cards. By Melissa Love
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etworking is a vital skill that benefits you in ways you can’t imagine. Keep in mind though, that networking isn’t a quick one and done solution. It’s a long game of building relationships.
“We are often haunted that somebody will see the real you and you won’t measure up, and your cover will be blown. “
Finding yourself alone in a room full of strangers or needing to work with someone from a different department demands you find ways to break the ice. But communication skills among people are vastly different and, unfortunately, one of man’s basic needs is safety. We put up barriers to protect ourselves. We put on masks that conceal our real selves. We are often haunted that somebody will see the real you and you won’t measure up, and your cover will be blown. I spent 20 years working in the fast-paced world of marketing. It was vital we kept our multi-million dollar-clients happy. For twenty years, I changed my personality to fit the
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needs of my clients—to make them more comfortable. All this creates a self-consciousness that actually hinders us, not helps us. So how do we create relationships that really matter? Relationships built on mutual respect and where we can truly lean on each other, get help and celebrate each other? I help others by conducting networking, sales empowerment and employee engagement workshops that combine low-pressure exercises and entertaining games to help employees learn new skills, find things in common and share laughs and common experiences. This builds confidence, takes you out of your comfort zone and forms lasting relationships. Here’s some tips to help you connect.
BE A GIVER The #1 thing to remember is to be a GIVER. A giver is looking to expand their network and is interested in
