Networking Nuggets

Hi. I'm Keith and welcome to Networking Nuggets. Let's start with something I wish more people understood about networking. The confident people are not necessarily more competent than you. A lot of them are just more practiced.

I think one of the biggest myths in marketing is this idea that confidence comes first. That somehow you need to feel confident, sound confident, look confident before you start networking. But honestly that's rarely how it works. Most people walk into networking rooms thinking everyone else seems comfortable except me. Meanwhile half the room is internally thinking please don't make me introduce myself first and networking anxiety is incredibly common.

People worry about sounding awkward forgetting what to say looking inexperienced not fitting in and because of that they wait to feel ready. The problem is confidence rarely arrives before action. Because confidence usually comes after repetition after experience after you've survived awkward moments after realizing that you had those awkward moments and the world didn't end. The first networking event most people attend feels huge. The second feels slightly less terrifying and by the tenth well by the tenth you start recognizing faces.

You start understanding the flow. You start relaxing into conversations. You start reading the room not because you became a different person but because familiarity reduces fear. One of the worst things people do in networking is to compare their internal feelings to other people's external appearance. Someone else may look relaxed but internally they're probably just as nervous as you.

And honestly Networking Confidence isn't about becoming fearless. It's about becoming comfortable enough with discomfort that you stop letting it control you. You don't need perfect confidence, perfect wording, perfect delivery, to build good relationships. People respond far more to warmth, to authenticity, to curiosity than they ever will to polish perfection. I've had networking conversations where I stumbled over my words I forgot points I lost my train of thought but hey you know what I still built some great relationships because people rarely remember your tiny mistakes as much as you do.

So if networking feels uncomfortable right now good because honestly that means you're learning. It means you're growing. It means you're stretching yourself and believe me that discomfort you're feeling right now over time it fades. So stop waiting to become confident enough to network. Network first.

The confidence will catch up afterwards. The people who eventually looked comfortable networking usually didn't start that way I'd almost guarantee it. They just kept showing up long enough for awkwardness to become familiarity. If you found this week's episode useful make sure you follow or subscribe and if you want more check out Networking Nuggets on LinkedIn. It's my weekly newsletter where I share deeper insights every Wednesday but also do check out my new book From Auckland to Connected available now on Amazon.

Until next time keep connecting! Networking Nuggets is a Think of Something Publishing production.