Have you ever met someone at a networking event and felt very self-conscious as you tried to find the right words to say? Were you afraid that if you said the wrong thing, the person might not like you and therefore not want to do business with you? If so, I'll tell you why you don't need to worry about it. Like the annoying song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" from years ago, I'm going to tell you why being careful about what we say hurts us in networking situations.
In business networking, our goal should be to meet new people and keep in touch with them to help them grow over time. Being honest is a very important part of building any kind of relationship.
We want to make a good first impression on people we meet for the first time. So that we can, we often put on our "party face." This can often lead to problems we didn't plan for. One problem is that when we try to act like something we don't really feel inside, we often worry that we will be "found out." This fear makes us feel bad about what's going on, and even if we're smiling, we're really cringing inside.
Most people are afraid that if they are themselves, no one will like them. I think that if we don't just be who we are, our true selves will come out sooner or later, and then we'll have to deal with the consequences of being found out. This makes people feel like they can't trust each other.
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex where you didn't tell them something important right away but had to later, or even worse, it came out by accident? After that, it leads to hard times and a lot of shuffling and apologizing.
I think it's better to risk being who I am from the start. To tell people how I really feel. Most people are kind and willing to forgive. They really want to let things go. If you say something that could be embarrassing by accident, you can always say you're sorry and be forgiven. But if you say something that isn't true and finds out about it later, it could hurt your credibility for good.
If you go into a networking situation ready to be relaxed and honest, you will have a lot more fun there. If you have a plan for getting to know people better, you will be much more productive in less time. People will feel like they can talk to you and that you can talk to them. People will want to do business with you and be around you more if you are honest.
The real excitement is contagious. When you're excited about what you're doing, you always look more attractive. When you don't have to worry about making mistakes, you look happier. Being happy about the situation will make you smile more, and people are naturally drawn to people who smile.
So just be yourself the next time you go to a networking event. Your grades will get better, and when you leave to go home, you'll feel better. Over time, you'll be able to see the difference in more than just your income. You will have more friends than you ever thought was possible. When it's time to give a recommendation, your friend will think of you because friends really do recommend friends.
