Networking, Not-working?

I’ve just been on holiday for a bit of ‘winter sun’.

I’m not very good at sunbathing. I get bored easily.

So I end up hanging around social spaces hopeful that someone might talk to me.

Sounds creepy I know.

Being born with a naturally pissed off face means that it’s very rare people talk to me.

I’m also quite shy.

But on holiday this time a very rare occurrence took place. 

Someone spoke to me. Unprompted.

The England football team were playing a World Cup qualification game and I had decided to see if I could find a place to watch the game.

I found a bar. The door was open. I walked in. It appeared to be ‘closed’.

However, there was a glimmer of hope. And that glimmer was from a TV screen showing a government broadcast channel.

Next to the TV an employee of the bar was staring at a laptop and a cable.

I then spotted two people in the bar sitting, with a couple of drinks, on a bench, staring at the screen.

One of them was wearing an England football shirt and must have spotted a fellow supporter in need.

‘Are you looking for somewhere to watch the football?’ I was asked.

‘Yes, but it’s not looking good is it’ I replied.

‘Don’t worry, I popped in here yesterday to see if this bar would show the game. Turns out they weren’t planning on it, but as I asked, they are trying to stream it from the internet for us.’ said my new friend.

‘Aaaah that explains the employee and the cable’ I said.

Fast forward 90 minutes, England had won the game and Nik (my new friend) and I had become buddies sharing a love of football, business and sport in general.

During conversation Nik mentioned he was a Nottingham Forest fan, season ticket holder and Managing Director of a very successful business.

‘I think I saw you yesterday around the resort, were you wearing a red Nottingham Forest shirt?’ I asked.

‘Yes, in fact, I’ve got a different shirt for each day, you’ll be amazed at how many people I’ve met from wearing them, it’s a conversation starter’. said Nik.

Now Nik was a very sociable individual with an approachable friendly face. 

The complete opposite of me.

But this got me thinking about another societal activity I dread; networking at events.

Nik was a natural networker. People talked to him and he talked to people.

But it isn’t like that for all people; me especially.

Remember the equation at the beginning of this story? 

Naturally pissed off face + shyness = uncomfortable situation.

So many networking moments in event programmes are just left to chance.

‘Let’s provide a space and some drinks and let people mingle’ … it just doesn’t work for all.

How can we ensure that networking actually serves a purpose for all involved?

First of all, maybe we need to find another term for ‘networking’; how about ‘connecting’ as a starter?

Then let’s create spaces based around topics of conversation for people with a common interest?

It wouldn’t be difficult to do with some insightful questions on registration and/or the use of an event app.

Event specific content, business challenges, sport, fashion, music, hobbies, TV, film, the weather! … the list goes on.

You could even theme each space based on the topic.

Or create zones of activity for people to watch or participate in - live cooking, illusion, stand up comedy …

A simple ‘I can introduce you to someone’ section would be a good start.

Give people the opportunity to start conversations, don't leave it to chance.

So next time you’re planning an event programme, ask yourself if your networking is ‘not-working’ (see what I did there?) and be creative as to how you can make it a fulfilling experience for all.

Because not every event is full of ‘Niks’.