Like most things in life there are facts and a whole of fiction!
Here is a fact, there is no need to be stressed about your networking efforts.
I received a phone call from one of my clients this morning in a state of what can only be described as ’self imposed networking stress’ . Last week I set them the task of researching the best options for their networking efforts and asked that they come back to me by end of business today with a networking strategy and plan for the next 6 months. Now the plan itself is the easy part (I provide them with a template to follow) what has become difficult for the client is what they are saying to themselves.
The task set was a simple one:
1. Take a look at the purpose for your networking, do you want to network for business leads, professional development, social interaction or business branding?
2. Identify any networking functions that you could attend to fulfill this purpose.
3. Identify any contacts (personal/professional) that could assist in fulfilling this purpose
4. Set a budget for the six month period
5. Put it into a draft plan and let’s discuss.
Not so difficult??? Well here is what has happened the purpose was identified as professional development , source business suppliers and leads in that order of importance.
When my client moved to step two and started to research the options available they began to discount some events based on the perceptions of who might be there, how they would interact with them, they began to feel inferior and lacking in ‘networking skills’ because of the perceived attendees, their knowledge, experience and standing in the industry.
The end result of this thinking is they have spent 4 days avoiding the task because each time they use our friend www.google.com to find networking groups the same thoughts, fears and stress starts to creep in and they end up playing the “i’m not good enough tune” in their head.
So here is the FACT to this story – no-one else knows what you don’t know or what is going on in YOUR head!!!!
You can play all the tunes in your head that you like …they know more than me… …i’m not good enough… …they are more experienced than I am… …they wouldn’t be interested in talking to me… BLAH BLAH BLAH. Here’s an insight – YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE listening to the tunes! No one can look at you and accurately tell you exactly what you are thinking and feeling. So put on you networking face and get out there, it will be the easiest way to overcome the chatter going on in your head once you PROVE to YOURSELF that the tunes being played out are not true. Procrastination and avoidance will paralyse your path to success, ACTION will take you where you want to go.
So, what happened with my client? They got the Sue Henry talk and are now booked to attend a networking event tonight!
Have you got success paralysing tunes playing in your head?
Until next time, have fun
Sue Henry
