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The Networking Summit – Digest from Year 1
On Friday 21st September 2018, the inaugural Networking Summit took place in Dublin. Brainchild of Siobhán Fitzpatrick who had the vision and courage to start something that is here to stay! To say that it was a fantastic event, is quite the understatement. There are so many nuggets and fantastic information that has come from the line up of exceptional speakers, Catherine Moonan, Kingsley Aikins, Joseph McGuire, David Russell and the inspirational Joanne O’Riordan, all MCed by the lovely Alison Comyn.
Different information will have resonated with different people and then we all did your own masterclasses. For my part, I wanted to share some of the take-aways and I hope that the conversation can continue with other attendees sharing what they learned and what value that took away from the day. So ‘my ask’ – if you attended and have other points to share, please add them on in the comments! Thanks 🙂
#GainTheEdge #TheNetworkingSummit
Networking is the single most impactful thing people should learn as part of their education. And it’s not taught anywhere…until now!
NETWORKING IS THE GLUE THAT MAKES THINGS HAPPEN IN BUSINESS!
– Today’s leaders need to be high touch and high tech. This is a challenge for millennials as they are high tech and not so high touch.
– Lack of diversity means you will under perform. You are the average of the people you hang around with.
– Do you realise how valuable your network is? It’ll help you live longer, make you stronger physically, help you earn more money, make you happier, will help you get your next job and your network is portable!
– The way to people you don’t know is through people you do know.
– How to manage your network: 1. Research 2. Cultivate 3. Solicitation 4. Stewardship
– Your weak connections are stronger than your strong connections.
– Question to ponder: is your network strong enough for where you want to be in 5 years?
– Reconnect with a dormant connection – aim for one a month.
– 3 key questions to ask your network – How can I help you? If you were me…? Who do you know who…?
– The more diverse and wide your network is, the more opportunities will come your way.
– People respond to authenticity and softness.
– Smiling transforms us emotionally, psychologically and physically.
– Question: what if one conversation today could have a massive impact on your life?
– In your pitch: be definite, be confident. Use positive words. Avoid can, try…have a wow opening and then structure your pitch to tell your story and how you will deliver your solution. Let A lead to B and B to C with a natural flow.
– Tell your story. Let yourself be authentic. Know who you are pitching to. Who’s in the audience? WIIFT. What’s in it for them?
– People tend to deliver boring, overintellectualised and complicated pitches. Keep it simple.
– Life’s a pitch! It’s something we do all the time, whether we realise it or not. Pitching is an art, not a science.
– May I join you? Never underestimate where this new conversation and connection will take you.
– BOOST: Breathe, observe, outcome, stance, take action. Mindset tips! Networking is stressful so it’s important to get the right mindset in order to achieve success.
-Does your network reflect the diversity of the society and the economy you work in? 30% of Dublin’s workforce wasn’t born in Ireland. How does that stat compare within your network?
-The soft skills need to succeed in today’s workforce. Coaching, mentoring, advisor, team player, communicator, listening, connecting – core skills of a leader. Technical skills come last! And this is coming from Google, so guessing they know a thing or two about the subject!
– Survival of the fittest depends on your ability to change, particularly in the disruptive world we live in today.
– 85% (!) of employees are disengaged in the workplace. A staggering stat.
I’d love to hear what you learned on the day if you had the fortune to attend! Please share…and let’s continue and build this important conversation.
Log on to The Networking Summit to keep up to date on all news and be sure to book in to attend the 2021 edition. It should become a must for your conference diary.