Discovering Your Networking Personality

• Do you go to networking functions and never connect with the right kind of people?
• Do you meet people and then don’t know what to say or do next?
• Or do you want to meet a particular person and can never find a way to break the ice?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to understand your networking personality better. As human beings we all have patterns of behaviour, which we follow on a day to day, week to week basis. Let me help you understand.

Some years ago I lived at the end of a train line and would catch the train to my office each day. Because it was the end of the line there was always an empty train waiting for me at the station when I arrived, usually mostly empty with plenty of seats to choose from. This particular day I walked into a carriage and sat down to read my morning paper. Some minutes later I noticed a man walked onto the train and was standing beside me hovering and twitching staring at me.

I stopped reading my paper and said, “Can I help you?” He said, “Yes, you are sitting in my seat, I sit there every day”. I glanced up and said “Not today!” and grinned. This was met with a very concerned look from the man and he looked lost as if he didn’t know what to do. Finally I stood up and said, “Here, have your seat”. He sat down and sighed a contented sigh. He had his prized seat and I learned an interesting lesson.

I sat elsewhere that day and began to notice that more and more people got on the train and sat in a particular spot. From that day forward I watched my “train friend” and others and noted that they all sat in the exact same seat every day.

This began a life long interest in people and their habits, you see we all have patterns or habits that we repeat every day. Gentlemen I bet that when you shave your face you follow a routine or pattern every time, ladies, when you put on your makeup, I bet you start somewhere and follow a pattern until you are finished.

As networkers we have patterns about how we like to behave at networking functions also. In fact research by the Referral Institute has shown that there are four different networking patterns that can be identified at any networking function. They are:

• Go Getter
• Promoter
• Nurturer
• Examiner

Let me tell you a little about each style and see if you can identify where you fit.

Go Getter
The Go Getter is someone who attends a networking function with a clear reason or intention. They know what they want and they go get it. They may have in mind to meet a well-know keynote speaker to discuss a possible engagement for their forthcoming global retreat for its top management team in Paris. They go to the function with this specific purpose and as soon as the formalities are over they leave because they have done what they came to do.

They are very goal oriented and stick to their plan. They are no nonsense people and are very focused and direct with their conversation and actions. You can identify Go Getters easily as they are always immaculately dressed.

Promoter
The Promoter is the person who knows everyone at the networking function and is fabulous at promoting themselves and others. They are often meeting new people and introducing them to others in the group. “Kevin, have you met Cheryl? She is Singapore’s best real estate guru, you must talk to her”. “Ah here comes Mervin Yeo, do you guys know Mervin?”

They are well connected people and sometimes are too busy promoting others and forget to promote their own product or service. Promoters often wear “out there” clothes, bright colours, with accessories to match, they care about their appearance and will often stand out in the crowd because of their dress.

Nurturer
The Nurturer is the person who arrives early to support the host or organizer of the function, they work silently in the background helping to set up the room, distribute the brochures and hand out the name badges. They nurture long term relationships and are very reliable people, they are more introverted though very loyal and reliable people.

Nurturers are more conservatively dressed and blend into the background because of their dress. These people however are staunch business allies and will stand by their colleagues through thick and thin. Finally they stay behind and help the organizer pack up and tidy the room after the function.

Examiner
Examiners dislike networking with a passion, though will attend functions because they know they “have to!” They would rather be at their office working on the month’s sales figures or reports for their boss or shareholders. At a networking function they are often very quiet and listen to the Go Getters and Promoters as they dominate the conversation. If they participate they will often ask in depth questions as they love detail and to get to the bottom of issues. They are easy to spot in conversation as they often ask a lot of questions. They are the most conservative of dressers and will wear dated or “comfortable” clothes. They own just one suit and will wear it over and over for years because it is good economics to do so. They stand out beside the Promoters who wear a different suit every function.

Article Contributed by Lindsay Adams, International Speaker with Training Edge International and President of Global Speakers Federation
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com
Email : Lindsay.adams@trainingedgeasia.com