What is your Default Networking approach?
A better way to network
I attended a networking breakfast where the speaker, Dr. Jason Fox, spoke about how we often suffer from default thinking or auto pilot. He suggested we make a new goal of challenging the things we do automatically and the approaches that we use without thought as maybe there is a better way.
It made me think more about innovation, which is a hot topic these days. We often talk about businesses needing to continually change, to improve and look for a new ways. Products and services quickly become stale or redundant as new and better ways of “doing” are created.
Bring diverse skills together
In order to innovate you need people to bring diverse skills together to brainstorm, create, discuss and challenge existing ideas and examine them from all angles. Through immersion and focus, possible solutions can be challenged and explored.
In the workplace, bringing together your team and blending their various skills provides your business with an opportunity to leverage the combined skills, knowledge and perspectives possessed by the group.
Share, challenge, learn and grow
Mastermind Groups, Think Tanks and even Networking events, can provide a starting point to draw on skills and expertise of those willing to share, challenge, learn and grow together.
Bringing together teams, from within an organisation and or from different geographical locations to build an internal network can improve on processes and systems resulting in better customer experience, along with professional and business development opportunities which will have a positive impact on staff performance. The onlne space has made this easier.
As a Business Catalyst and Networking Strategist, I believe we need to step out of our comfort zones as we build business relationships . While networking events can be uncomfortable, they offer an opportunity to challenge the norm.
Attending the right networking events , whether online or in person, can be a start in generating the ideas to innovate by immersing yourself with like minded people with diverse experience and perspectives. We benefit from a listening to and accessing a range of perspectives when we share challenges and expertise and can often open opportunities that help innovate and expand our growth with new thinking.
Think about it. Have you been attending the same networking events, over and over for years? Are you stuck and bored by the events and conversations you are having? How about using networking events to test your ideas, seek out expertise and opinions of others?
Use networking events to test your ideas
At your next networking event, why not have conversations that will expand your horizons rather than just looking for referrals, why not try to
find out what people are looking for
check the ongoing relevance of your business model
gain feedback on a new aspect of your offer
identify the right problems your business should seek to solve
seek out others to explore how you could make changes and innovations within your industry
At YTM, our innovative formats have now been tried and tested online and in person, and provide you the opportunity to you engage in more in-depth conversations than at many traditional networking events. Our participants share, connect and collaborate.
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