8 WAYS TO OVERCOME SOCIAL DISCOMFORT AT NETWORKING EVENTS

By Jeff Beals

While preparing to go to a networking event, have you ever worried, “What if I don’t know anyone?”

It’s a common concern, but knowing nobody at a networking event is actually a blessing if you have the right attitude.

Not knowing anyone forces you to use your networking skills. Too many people will go to a function and sit in the corner with their friends, co-workers, spouse, whoever. Tat’s a waste of time. If you’re going to do that, just go to a restaurant.

If you find networking intimidating, you’re not alone. Many professionals who are good at networking have had to work hard to make it look that way. Sure, some people are naturally gregarious, but they are the exception, not the norm. It is natural to feel tinges of uneasiness when you attend a networking function by yourself where you know nobody.

2) Observe the Masters

Tink of someone you know who is socially gifted, very at ease working a room. Watch that person. Study that person. Tink how you can imitate him/her. Each time you go to a networking event, do something he/she does. Instead of reinventing the networking wheel, figure out how you can mimic someone who has already figured it out.

3) Hold a Drink

Holding a drink at a social function can help you be more comfortable.

If you’re a non-drinker, there is nothing wrong with holding a soda or virgin cocktail. Te drink is useful, because it gives you something to do with your hands. Just be careful not to become intoxicated. You don’t want to do anything that would embarrass your company or damage the reputation you are working so hard to build. Some networkers will order one drink and nurse it for a couple hours, just taking infrequent sips. I know of one person who orders a 7-Up with just a tiny amount of alcohol in it. Tat way, it smells like a drink, but there’s not enough live ammo in it to compromise his faculties.

4) Positive Vision

Another way of dealing with shyness is to envision success before going to an event. Like a coach mentally preparing athletes for a big game, you can increase your likelihood for success by imagining yourself doing well in a social situation. Sit down and envision yourself saying the right things, using good interpersonal skills and being professionally assertive. If you do this regularly, you will evolve into a graceful networker.

5) Brush It Off

Here are eight things you can do to make you feel more comfortable:

1) Practice

Tere is absolutely nothing wrong with rehearsing how you will act in a networking encounter in the quiet privacy of your home or office. Some people even practice in front of a mirror.

TPI Turf News January/February 2017

Operating out of your comfort zone can increase introversion tendencies. Some networkers worry they will say the wrong thing and sound stupid. Others are afraid to “interrupt” someone at a party. Others fear they might be “rejected” when they reach out to another person. Even as an established professional, it is an unpleasant experience to introduce yourself and attempt to carry on a conversation with someone who is clearly uninterested in you. When it happens to you, just brush it off and go to the next person.

When someone gives you a cold shoulder, it likely means that person’s problems are greater than yours.

19