It’s not news to say that networking is essential for business success. We’ve all heard it a thousand times. But for the shy among us, each time we hear this old axiom brings on another little flutter of dread. Career website Monster, for example, offers 13 Networking Mistakes. Among them:
Being a Wallflower- Men and women with contacts and power meet many people; they remember only those who stand out from the crowd. Be assertive, and act like a leader.
But if you have trouble glad-handing strangers and heartily tooting your own horn, there is hope. Today on the the Huffington Post, blogger Lyndsey Pollak offers networking advice for the shy, and even tells the timid to embrace their shyness. Why? She offers five reasons shy people can make the best professional networkers:
- They ask for personal referrals. There’s a myth that networking is all about cold calling people and walking up to strangers at cocktail parties. Often the best connections are made through mutual acquaintances.
- They are polite. Etiquette has become a bit of a lost art these days, and that’s a bad thing.
- They listen more than they talk. “There’s a reason you have two ears and one mouth,” my grandfather used to say.
- They bring a wingman (or woman). Some networking experts frown on the idea of bringing a friend to an event since some people use this as an opportunity to stand together in the corner and avoid all other human contact. I believe the exact opposite. If you feel more comfortable and confident attending an event with a friend, then go for it.
- They network online. While some shy people hide behind their email accounts, online networking is an important strategy. But instead of networking only online, I would encourage more introverted networkers to use online networks to introduce themselves before an in-person or on-the-phone interaction.
So, introverts fear not the annual client event or corporate holiday party! You too can be an excellent networker.
(Image of shyness T-shirt by RobotSkirts, CC 2.0)
