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?
- Andy Lopata
- Labelled ‘Mr Network’ by The Sun, Andy Lopata is one of the UK’s leading business networking strategists. The co-author of two books on networking, his first book, 'Building a Business on Bacon and Eggs' looked at how to run business breakfast meetings, while his second '...and Death Came Third!' received worldwide acclaim and reached number 2 on Amazon.co.uk on its launch. Andy is a featured columnist for the US magazine ‘The National Networker’ and has a regular column in Business Matters magazine and 4 Community magazine, as well as being quoted in national press, including The Sunday Times and The Guardian. For eight years, Andy was Managing Director of Business Referral Exchange, one of the UK's leading referral-focused networking groups with over 2,000 member companies. Andy now works with companies from one-man bands to global names such as NatWest Bank, Merrill Lynch and Capita to help them realise the full potential from their networking. He is also a former vice-president of the Professional Speakers Association.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Business Networking - Top Ten Traits of Successful Networkers
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1 comments:
You asked a great question here:
"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?"
For many people the answer would be yes. For me the main item missing from both lists of good traits is consistent follow up.
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