Holiday Networking is Coming.

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The end of this week marks the beginning of December, and we all know what that means…

Holiday party invitations are coming.

For introverts like me, holiday parties are probably not high on your list of exciting December “to dos” – it’s not that we don’t love them; it’s just that they’re rather exhausting. Extroverts may see them as a chance to enjoy a bit of relaxation with friends and meet new people. But no matter how you view holiday parties, they are definitely a key opportunity to network.

Whether you’re a networking pro or feel like there’s room for improvement, every networking experience is a chance to hone your skills. Recently, we held our Regional Conference of the Americas, and invited David Ackert, President of The Ackert Advisory, to facilitate a type of speed-dating session that we refer to as our “referral rendezvous.” We matched our lawyers in groups of 3-4 people, and they had 25 minutes to talk and connect with each other – some of them have known each other for many years, while others were meeting each other for the first time.

David’s networking tools offered a road map to maximize the time invested in each conversation. These tips are valuable not just for speed dating purposes, but across all networking opportunities, so I am sharing them with you today as we head into a whirlwind season of relationship-building possibilities.

Before we get started, let’s address the fundamental problem of networking that David brought up during his presentation – that “networking is sloppy.”

Does this sound familiar? You’re at an event, and meet someone new or even run into someone you already know. You talk about the weather, how you’re enjoying the event that you’re at, what your plans are for the weekend, etc. David describes this as meandering from topic to topic to fill the silence. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s not structured around a business result. Over time, you can put these meandering conversations together to create bonds with people, but the end result is still returning to your office and pinning all of your hopes that this time you’ve invested will somehow translate into business.

Read more: http://www.zenlegalnetworking.com/2016/11/holiday-networking-is-coming/

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