A vital part of any career, especially public relations, is networking. Through networking an individual establishes business contacts, future prospects and supportive peers.
Tonight I attended a fund raising function for one of our clients. This was not simply an event where people gather and network; rather, this was a very small gathering centered on money.
I quickly learned that networking is not an easy task. Especially as a beginner, the acts of approaching and conversing with highly-skilled individuals are rather daunting. Without a security blanket, I stood in a room full of politicians, lawyers and doctors. Opportunity was all over, but it was frightening!
With the rise of email and social networking tools, LinkedIn, Facebook and corporate websites have replaced much face-to-face contact. With the internet we are able to take the time to process and compose ideas, saving ourselves from awkward silent moments or stuttering.
As a public relations practitioner, I must know how to communicate on many levels. I need to communicate a business plan to the inner city, assure a concerned public that their safety is out top priority and converse with potential business partners. Email, visual, auditory, face-to-face—I need to be proficient in all of them to be capable of effective communication.
Walking into the main room, I reminded myself that these are individuals just like me. Their skills and preferences might be different, but they showered naked just like I did.
It turns out we all had something to offer at that function. I was not young, but rather a world of knowledge for social media. The lawyer was not boring, but rather a graduate who endures long hours in the office for the few passionate hours in the courtroom.
Public relations is an art of communication. To effectively communicate, we need to let down our own assumptions and embrace the moment.
2 responses so far ↓
blasio // May 30, 2008 at 1:54 am
I loved your article. some people post difficults situations on my site asking for a smart way to hadle them using people skills. together we are triying to build great people skills. we can learn a lot from your habilities.
http://mypeopleskills.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/know-your-place-know-your-opponent-part-1/
globalized // May 30, 2008 at 3:01 am
Embracing the moment — truly, living in the moment — is an incredibly powerful strategy that I still struggle with. Even when you are usually confident with who you are, new social situations can set you out of your element, but relaxing and going with the flow of the event can be the very ticket you need to making the best connections.
Have you read Keith Ferrazzi’s “Never Eat Alone”? If not, I highly recommend it, along with Nicholas Boothman’s “How To Make People Like You In 90 Seconds” — they are both easy reads, but do a terrific job at opening your mind to new methods of networking and developing authentic relationships, even when you don’t feel perfectly at ease.