Confident Networking
The natural networker is at an advantage in the modern world where relationships and connectivity are so vital. The rest of us can reflect on the behaviours and habits of life's "schmoozers" and apply these to improve our own personal impact.
This posting is based on a short workshop I gave at Dundee University in November 2011 as part of their OPD researcher developer programme. The slides from the workshop are available on-line through my slideshare account and below.
The slides are hopefully self-explanatory, but there are a few messages I want to emphasise.
The concept of networking and the word itself have pretty heavy connotations of strategic conversations, spotting "useful" people and getting what you want from people. All this is a bit of a turn-off even to those of us who are converts to its value. Far better to stop thinking about networking as a thing that has to happen at a certain time or place - just become familiar with what you want to say and why it is interesting to others and then let the conversations flow more naturally.
There's far more "give" than "take" in networking - it is much easier to think about the value you can give to other people than worrying about how you will ask them to give you something. Focus instead on what you can offer - these ideas are expanded in the slides.
Use social media to develop and sustain relationships before and after face-to-face meetings. Contribute your ideas and opinions if you have something to add to another researcher's postings and be generous in sharing information. Hopefully the karma fairy will pay you back when you need it.
I hope the slides are useful if you weren't able to make the workshop, act as a good reminder if you were there or will have some value if you aren't a Dundee researcher.
SS Nov 2011
