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Vol 30 - No 03 - May 2004 Midlands: Is Your Net Working? Louise Foer made her second appearance on 25th February for the IOM in her highly regarded presentation ‘Is your Net Working’ and interestingly enough it had little to do with the infamous interNET. Most of us, irrespective of whether we are in an operational role, academic or selling (consultancy / systems), are dependant on the effectiveness of our ‘personal contacts’ network. For the most part we take it for granted when we attend events that we will ‘network’ and most events now provide time and even facilitate networking as part of the event structure… After a thought provoking introduction that proved how most of us are mislead by ‘the visual’ first impression, Louise went on to describe four network ‘types’ The Loner – the quiet retiring type, who does not find it easy to network, usually hides in the corner. In addition to describing the types Louise made clear that successful networks have a lot of give and take… and that the network is not just a means of generating sales leads…..it is about developing a trusted circle of ‘friends’. To be a network builder is the hardest of the four types. We were given useful insights into body language and how to get into and out of conversation without been seen as pushy or rude…. there were even some tips on how to get a teenager out of bed in the morning and more importantly how to get them to clear the table after the evening meal…. This alone made the evening worthwhile!!!! The evening was far from just sitting and listening, we were soon on our feet trying our hand at new techniques for more effective networking – describing ourselves in 10 seconds, learning to seek information and practicing ‘moving on’ to a new contact. We soon got to know each other, hobbies, background and the mini CV’s…. The success of this process was in evidence, as after the presentation had concluded the networking went on and on and on and on….. long after the buffet supper had been consumed…… The event provided in a compact form some useful insights that will help me be more effective the next time I attend event and the organiser announces there will new be an extended break to allow you all to ‘network’….. many thanks Louise for a fabulous event. Geoff Relph, MIOM Related Topics:
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