The Art of Connecting: Exploring Different Dimensions in Networking
- 0
- Add a Comment
Last night I did a presentation at the PYO Gallery in the South Park area of Downtown LA on “The Art of Connecting.” I employed concepts from the art world like perspective, shading (shades of meaning), setting, style, and taste to networking. It was the first time I have given such a presentation, and it was very well received. I discussed the importance of building a strong personal relationship prior to trying to build a business relationship. The gallery is relatively small, and had the works of one artist, but it had a the feeling of spaciousness. I collaborated with the jeweler Claudia Endler and gallery owner Heidi Chang. Connecting really is an art, and you need to be versatile and open-minded in order to connect with a wide variety of people. There is no substitute for being a genuinely interested listener, and also to be interesting when you are speaking. We all have different communication styles: some are story tellers, while others focus on the reporting of events without much detail. In my presentation, I emphasized the importance of follow-up in networking, and that it sometimes takes a long time for a fruitful relationship to develop. You need to develop some type of personal connection with others beyond business topics. In all, the goal was to bring together people from widely diverse worlds and find a common ground. By providing a warm and welcoming environment with free appetizers and drinks, we had a high level of success. Not only did we have our invited guests, but a number of people who were walking around in the area came in and were interested in the topic.
