Business Networking - Top Ten Traits of Successful Networkers

While running a Word of Mouse Focus Group on the needs of business networkers in Bournemouth yesterday, I asked the group for their top ten traits of successful networkers. I then posed the same question in the evening when giving a presentation on Advanced Networking to a meeting of Dorset Junior Chamber (DJC).

Here are the two lists:

FOCUS GROUP:

1. Good listener
2. Well rounded
3. Interested in others
4. Reliable
5. Trustworthy
6. Proactive
7. Approachable
8. Focused
9. Organised
10. Confident

DJC:

1. Good listener
2. Pays attention to others
3. Makes eye contact
4. Smiles
5. Broad conversationalist
6. Well presented
7. Considerate
8. Business acumen
9. Focused
10. Confident


It was interesting to see 'good listener' come up first time on both lists, with a lot of the key traits on each list being based around how good networkers act towards other people, listening to them, being aware of their personal space, being able to talk about a range of subjects and being approachable.

For the last three questions on each list I asked which traits would be important for you, the individual responding, to make networking successful. That is where focus and confidence came to the fore. It was interesting that these traits only came up when I forced the groups to shift their focus.

Are we concentrating on the right things in our networking? Is everything focused on how we behave at the event and not what we need to do to make our attendance a success overall?

Do you think anything is missing from this list or would you come up with similar answers? And how well do you think you measure up to these qualities?

Is there room for improvement?