Leading in networking circles
You don’t have to look very far to find a wealth of information about Leadership. But what about leading in your networking circles, and how exactly do you go about doing so? At the Business League we get this question often from so many of our clients that we’ve decided to show you our process of leading in networking circles, and it even has its own, easy to remember acronym: LEAD. It stands for Layout, Engage, Articulate and Deliver, and here’s what we mean with LEAD:
Layout
First, there’s LAYOUT, and the first step towards leading in your networking circles is being familiar with the layout and details of the event before it occurs, so that you can maximize your efforts on the day. Do you know how many people the event location will hold? What are the seating arrangements, and whom will you be seated with? Will you be able to move around without hassle and mingle, or will you have to remain seated throughout the event, limiting whom you can speak to?
Engage
The second point addresses how you ENGAGE. Don’t make the mistake of only engaging with a certain group of people or people you’re familiar with. It’s important to keep the conversation moving and keep engaging different people. After all, you never know who might surprise you with what they could do for you and your business.
Articulate
Next, you need to ARTICULATE exactly what you want from your networking. Are you clear and concise with what you’re looking for in your networking events and circles? How can you find value from networking and add value to other businesses and individuals if you don’t know what you want and what you can offer in turn?
Deliver
Finally, you need to remember to DELIVER. Networking is a two-way street and you cannot just approach the event with meeting your own goals in mind. You need to be prepared to deliver support and connections for others. In networking, what goes around comes around.
If you need more information on how you can LEAD better, don’t hesitate to contact us today!
