Top 3 essential skills to become a great networker.
We all like to think we are good networkers, wouldn't we? But just because we ‘go networking’, it doesn't necessarily follow that we have the skills to make us good networkers. So, what are good networking skills? Here are our top 3 essential skills to become a great networker.
The first one is showing respect.
This is one of the basic networking skills, but one of the most important in our opinion.
There’s nothing worse than someone talking over you or while you are talking they are looking over your shoulder searching out the next person they want to talk to. You know how it makes you feel so please don’t do this to other people. As adults we sometimes forget this fundamental skill that we were taught as a child, but really it’s just good manners. Make a good impression by showing respect.
The second is being positive.
Negativity breeds negativity, and getting sucked into a negative conversation can be really hard to get out of. We’ve all been there with someone who wants to tell you all their woes and as much as we can sympathise when things aren't good for them, it can be very draining. Having a positive attitude will make you more approachable. You will find people will gravitate to you and they will find you more open to having a meaningful conversation, be the person in the room that everyone wants to talk to.
The third is active listening.
You‘ve all met the one who talks incessantly leaving little room for us to contribute to the conversation or the person who tells us all their family history without much thought for whether we want to hear it or not. Although listening is a great networking skill to have, it doesn’t mean just being able to listen to every Tom, Dick or Harriet who wants to talk to us.
It actually means listening to the nuances of the conversation, discovering more than just who they are and what they do. It’s about finding common ground between you, looking for ways you can connect them with others in your network and most importantly, being present in the conversation. By asking open questions, it will help you to uncover the clues you are listening for in order for you to make introductions and connect them with your network.
Of course there’s always those who are natural at networking but you’ll find most people if they are truly honest find it difficult to begin with. Networking skills take time to develop and like anything else, it’s all down to practice. Find the events where you feel the most comfortable and where you don’t feel under too much pressure, that way you can be yourself and enjoy the experience of networking.
Why not try out your skills at one of our events or if you are just starting out on your networking journey one of our Networking Know How course might be for you.