The A-Z of networking; Attitude

The main way to get the most of networking is making sure you have the right attitude going forward. How do you display yourself when you go into a meeting? Are you upbeat and positive, ready to make the most of it? Or are you tired and seeing it as a waste of time, or time that you could use to be doing other things? 

To be making the most of a meeting you need to really have the right attitude, walk in thinking not “who can help me?” but “who can I help?” If you walk in with the mindset of ‘who can I help’ you are more likely to find the people willing to help you too. Helping others is essential in networking, and sends out a good reputation for yourself. 

If you have a positive attitude towards the things you do, including networking, you’re more likely to find that people flock to you. A good and positive attitude rubs off on the people around you and can then make them more likely to want to interact with you. Nobody wants to be stuck in a room with grumpy people. Your attitude massively affects your interactions and could be a deal breaker in most situations, especially with first impressions. Always ask yourself “What do I want this person to remember me for? Being miserable and off, or being positive and helpful? Someone they would want to work with and help.”

The problem with having an “I only want people useful to me” attitude, is that you miss out on a lot of people who may not themselves be useful to you, but have plenty of people that could be referrals for you, and could really be the ones who help push you. 

Aside from being great in a social situation, your attitude at work is just as important. If you start a day thinking about how much you’d rather be doing other things, you’ll never achieve your full potential that day. If you have a positive attitude towards the things you do, you’re more likely to enjoy yourself and your work so much more!