Still not convinced about networking?
It’s one of my favourite subjects and I believe that one day I WILL convince everyone that, done well, it’s a must-have.
Earlier this month I was travelling to an evening networking event, and on the way, from the depths of a memory from many years ago, I recalled another networking group I’d once been involved in . . .
We were a group of top-flight PAs working for some of the biggest organisations in the East Midlands, and boy, we took on the world. We organised CPD, held many a national conference, got copious amounts of sponsorship, were all wonderfully supported by our bosses to host events at our company premises, and we had a Baroness as our patron.
And on my car journey, the memory of those great days came back to me and made me realise that the feeling I got from them was pretty similar to how I felt about the event I was now going to. So, a great start to the evening.
And from the evening itself? Well, it was spectacular:
- 2 amazing speakers
- 2 senior leaders from organisations external to mine requesting to meet me to discuss our mutual leadership offerings
- A room full of willing bodies, wanting to network
- A mix of private and public sector
- Some old, some new faces
- A promise of more to come – our networking can only get better!
- Thoughts about my own CPD
- Reflections on leadership
- I saw role models
- I saw leaders supporting the development of others
- I saw smiles and heard laughter
- We shared experiences and challenges
- There was energy in the room
and . . .
- We were all tasked to go away and make the night count; to take something from what we’d learnt – about ourselves or others – into our work the next day, and hopefully beyond.
ChristineWilkinsonCoaching 