Networking takes energy

Last evening, I attended an annual networking event in the Denver area, called SummerToast. For business and marketing professionals, it’s a great way to meet new people and reconnect with friends and colleagues. The only problem is, with nearly 400 people in attendance, this event is an introvert’s nightmare. In his great article, “Caring for Your Introvert: The Habits and Needs of a Little-Understood Group,” Jonathan Rauch states that he needs two hours of downtime to recuperate from each hour of socializing. I agree that introverts need more recovery time than extroverts , but some networking events require more time than others. And we need to make sure we schedule the time needed to bounce back.

Having coffee with a new acquaintance or lunch with someone from a different department takes a lot less energy than large networking events, so I try to do the majority of my networking one-on-one. Occasionally, I need to attend a conference or a networking event that draws a large crowd. For these events, I plan time to rest, do some light exercise, or work on tasks that don’t require much physical or mental energy. Then I add that time to my calendar to make sure I don’t forget.

 With a little planning, even an introvert can have the energy it takes to be a power networker.

Comments

[Sharan Tash]

Smart move to know what you need to do. I have also helped people converse energy and look at large events in small chunks. I have them set an attainable goal - let's say they need to meet 3 new people that they would like to meet outside of the venue for a one-on-one meeting. Once they meet these three people they can leave. They do not have to stay for the whole event and they see a clear goal they can reach. This also prevents energy vampires from zapping all their energy - we know the kind - the ones that continue to talk and talk and talk without giving any value.
Congratulations on finding a way that makes networking worthwhile for you.
Sharan Tash
The Professional Networker