Without Trust there is no collaboration

If you network just as a way to sell your product or business, will it work?

The answer, I'm afraid to say is no.

The last few weeks after what has been an amazing whirlwind of change, laughs and hard work at Linaker . I decided to do something I wasn’t able to do for a long time. That is new Networking.

I decided to spend some time and find events that I hadn’t been to before and to my amazement there were lots out there. I stopped looking when I hit 30 events, even for me that would be a push to far.

We put together an events calendar and started booking in, this was the most difficult part as most were on the same nights and times.

After a lot of planning, we were on. 21 events over 4 days and to make it more interesting I route planned the walk between them.

I started with breakfast meetings, lunch and then most finished around 9 pm.

What did I discover?

There are a lot of really amazing people out there, who are willing to chat and listen. There are though a lot of people who just want to talk at you.

I discovered a whole host of people who had never ventured outside their comfort zone. I met people who went to the same event week in week out and when I quizzed them about it, well it was always the same answer.

I know everyone!!!

I was amazed at this answer but not surprised, its always the fear factor of the unknown. After conversations with some of these people and introductions to other events, its clear they just needed to have someone to give them that little bit of confidence to try it.

I wasn’t expecting anything in return for any help or guidance I provided, something did come back to me though. I received an introduction from one of the people I met and guess what, it was from someone he met at another event he went to for the first time.

Networking is about listening, its about understanding, its about how we can help each other.

If you’re at an event and you see someone stood alone, say hello, if your mid conversation in a group and someone walks up, say hello.

It’s a simple process, that can make someone’s night and potentially open so many doors.

Remember its Networking and its collaboration over competition.