Networking - A Path to Change?
Safaraz Ali (Saf)
Founder & CEO of Multicultural Apprenticeship & Skills brands | Skills & Employability, Healthcare, Tech, Social Care & Social Impact Investor| Always enjoy meeting with creatives & sector champions | safaraz.co.uk
Here's the scenario - You meet someone at a networking event and they seem a very 'interesting individual'. You're feeling a vibrant and real connection with them and you believe there may be business opportunities you could explore further. So you arrange in a month's time a follow-up coffee - like you do!
You're pleased with yourself for having arranged this and look forward to spending time in the company of the 'interesting individual'. A thought crosses your mind of clearing the morning and even the whole day of the coffee meeting so that you can spend time away from the day-to-day of the business to work 'on your business' rather than 'in your business' in addition to the meeting.
Nearer the time to the coffee meeting, you start dreading it - you start thinking of all the jobs you need to do and you just haven't got the time! You begin to form a view that the 'interesting individual' isn't really that interesting, and in fact, he's a bore and you are not going to learn anything from him nor are you going to gain anything else of him. In addition, you only arranged the meeting to be pleasant. You are now hoping that the person cancels the meeting. If not, you'll have to make an excuse and cancel...
So why the change in attitude?
We wanted to change at the time that we arranged the meeting. We felt we needed to change but in the end we don't and to make ourselves feel better we justify to ourselves the view we have formed. We assume things will be different tomorrow, we assume things will be better for us, but unless we change our habits nothing will change.
Network - Learn - Grow
Chief Executive Officer @ Foster Energy Private Limited | Renewable Energy
8 年Good msg !!! Do not allow a pattern to settle in ...open minded approach is the best suited !!!
Shakambhari Group
8 年Great point Sir. During the journey of life , it happens many times that we understand and accept invaluable things in our thought process but fail to execute due to habits. So true Sir, nothing will change without change in habit and matching the frequency of the subject to attain the object.
Associate Director at Tetra Tech
8 年Follow up after a month, surely you would strike whilst the iron is hot!
Go From Invisible to Unmissable | Get your Website SEO Working Better for your Company | Attract Online Enquiries | Data-Driven SEO for the Construction Supply Chain | Precision SEO & UX Engineering
8 年Interesting post Safaraz Ali ? Pathway2Grow ? There is a science to networking events. In fact there are many sciences involved I think
Transforming lives with Skills, Growth & Impact.
8 年I think you have read my mind! Now I'm at it alone, I do really need to change my attitude and mind set to these meetings, weigh the out of my comfort zone against the pros of networking and partnership opportunities. Another great article Safaraz Ali ? Pathway2Grow ?