TIN #028 - How To Change Your Mind About Networking
Why you're mindset is killing your networking
Good Morning đ - Greg here.
Happy Saturday to everyone whoâs making plans to network this week.
Today, Iâm talking about your mind.
And how it gets in the way of your networking.
This issue takes less than 3 minutes to read.
Overthinking stops us from acting.
Networking is something we overthink.
We come up with lots of reasons why we âcanâtâ network.
If we change our minds - our mindsets - we can overcome most of these excuses.
These four mindsets will improve your professional networking
The Small Mindset
When I ask people why they don't spend time networking, one of the things they say is they don't have time.
They think networking means spending hours at events or sending cold emails to people they want to meet.
One way to overcome the barrier of "not enough time" is to break the task in to smaller chunks.
When I help people become better networkers, everything is about breaking things into smaller pieces.Â
I'm donât ask them to spend an hour a day on networking.Â
I ask them to spend 5 or 10 minutes on one task.
It works because it helps you get over your initial resistance.Â
We all have a lot to do.
Spending an hour on anything can be challenging, but spending 5 minutes on it is something you can do.
After you get past the first five minutes, you realize you can spend 10 or 15 minutes on it.Â
You'll be surprised how much you can do in 15 minutes if you focus on one task.Â
But in order for the Small Mindset to work, it has to be paired with the Consistent Mindset.
The Consistent Mindset
When people hear I want them to spend only a few minutes on each task, they say, "That can't be enough time to make a difference."
If they spend a few minutes one time, then they're right.
If they spend a few minutes each day, over the course of the week it adds up.Â
You start to see results.Â
When you see results, you keep working on the process and the cycle continues.Â
You build a habit and it gets easier.
But you gotta show up.
On a regular basis.
Consistency always wins.
Getting small and being consistent are the keys to getting results.
The Giving Mindset
Another reason people dislike networking is it feels awkward.
Most of us donât like asking people for favors.
We feel like weâre taking advantage of others.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You may grow your network to find a new job or to find new clients for your business.
Whatever the reason, look at networking with the giving mindset.
Look for people you can help.
In time, they will ask how they can help you.
Humans love to give.
Go into this with the idea you are going to give more than you receive.
Ask yourself: What can I give to this person I am contacting?
Need ideas? Check out TIN #004
When you change this mindset, a lot of the awkwardness you feel about networking will disappear.
The Easy To Help Mindset
Be easy to help.
That means when people ask what you are looking for in a job or opportunity, give a simple, clear answer.
When people say they have time to meet, make sure you give them options to pick from or make your schedule work to fit their schedule.
Don't make getting in touch hard and don't make it hard on the people you are connecting with.
Don't make it hard for people to help you.
Donât give them your resume. Give them a Target Company List
Donât ask, âWho do you know?â Give them a list of people you want to meet.
Get specific.
The more specific you are, the easier you are to help.
The easier you are to help, the more likely people will help you.
Networking doesnât come naturally to most people.
It can be even harder when your mind gets in your way.
But if you adjust your mindset, you can get past your mental blocks and learn to enjoy networking.
Have a great week!