I’m a networker. I love meeting people, learning what they’re good at and love to do, and making connections and introductions where appropriate. My golden rule: you must first give before you can receive. I’ve made MANY rewarding relationships, including a fair number of true lifelong friends this way.
But I must admit; I’ve always thrived in meeting people in the flesh, face-to-face. Facial expressions and other non-verbal queues, plus seeing people in their natural environment (usually their own office or workplace) often teach me more than the actual conversation. Plus I’ve been a part of (and actually started) several networking groups where 5 – 20 people meet regularly, and the group dynamics can be fascinating.
In this age of COVID isolation, something as important as networking doesn’t need to disappear. As a matter of fact, for many of us, it is probably more relevant now than ever. When the pendulum finally starts to swing back to “normal”, our connections (and their strength) may be hugely important in how quickly and completely our professional life recovers from this virus.
Keep an eye out for my next several posts about how I’m finding my footing as a virtual networker. And if you’re worried about missing some of my posts on social, sign up to have this amazing wisdom delivered right to your inbox; http://eepurl.com/gRdF_T
