(by Kirsty Henderson)

Why and how to improve your networking skills

Have you ever had that feeling of being at a conference and rather than approaching strangers and striking up a conversation you instead go and stand in a corner, pull out your phone and desperately try to find something needing your attention on the screen so that you have an excuse not to talk to others? We’ve all been there. Talking to people you don’t know can be uncomfortable and requires effort, but it can really help you in your work.

This article aims to encourage you to ‘never eat alone’, meaning that you should always (or almost always, at least) make use of networking time - the time in between presentations, the time at lunch, the time just after a meeting - to get to know more people in your network. Never Eat Alone is also the name of a book I recommend if you want to learn more about the subject:

Never Eat Alone

Why networking is important

Success = (the people you meet) + (what you create together)

Networking is important because, to put it bluntly, we aren’t going to end animal exploitation alone. We need a large and strong, connected movement with us. If you want to do the best you can in your job to help animals, you will do it much better if you have the help, input, inspiration, skills, support, constructive criticism and actual work of many others.

How to network

  1. Share your interests with people. When we are truly passionate about something, it’s contagious. It draws people to who we are and what we care about. Others respond by letting their guard down. For example, before the CARE conference, volunteers in Poland made a spreadsheet of participants who added details about themselves so people could see who was attending in advance. There was happily a column for interests, to give people a reason for connecting with each other. Rather than just adding “I'm interested in animal rights and vegan food” I wrote that I really love 19th century gothic and romantic fiction - someone from ACE also shared the interest and wrote to me suggesting we meet up during the conference to talk about Tolstoy. Do things together that aren't work related and then you can become genuinely interested in other people.
  2. Be interested in others - We all want to talk about ourselves. Become genuinely interested in other people. Be a good listener and encourage others to talk about themselves. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. Give honest and sincere appreciation
  3. Conferences are for meeting people - if you learn something as well that’s a bonus. Conferences connect people, spark ideas and relationships, allow us to work as a team rather than individuals, put you in the same room as people who know how to solve your problems (even problems you don't know you have yet). Real actionable insight actually comes from experience, books and other people.
  4. Meet people in person - I liked my job at Anima International from the beginning, but it wasn't until I met more of the team in person and got to know them that I really felt connected. Now I wanted to work harder because my friends needed me to and I didnt want to let them down.
  5. Discipline - Like most things in life - you need some discipline to force yourself to do things that are slightly uncomfortable to meet your bigger aims e.g. public speaking, meeting new people, providing constructive feedback to colleagues
  6. The art of small talk - we can all send emails and IMs so that we don't have to actually speak to anyone. Digital is good for speed, but not for making friends. Small talk - the kind that happens between people who don’t know each other - is perhaps the most important there is. Everyone has something in common with everyone else. In order to find these you need to open up about yourself
  7. More short and specific tips
    1. Keep in touch - Once you’ve met someone and decided you want to keep in touch (and you probably should) find a way to do so. Connect immediately with them on Facebook, take their email address, note names and details of contacts
    2. Follow up - this is the key to success in any field. Make following up a habit and automatic. When you do, struggling to remember people’s names - and other people struggling to remember yours - will be a thing of the past.
    3. Make acquaintances - acquaintances are people you have met but who you don’t know very well, and quite often it is through our relationships with these people that wonderful things can happen. We can have many more acquaintances than we can friends
    4. Repeat names - When you meet someone for the first time, it's a good idea to repeat their name back to them as it is easier to remember. E.g. "Hi Kirsty nice to meet you".

Advanced level networking

"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation" - Robert H Schuller

  1. Homework - Do your homework on people you are going to meet. If you know you are likely to meet someone, do a bit of research first. Where do they work, in which countries, on what AR issues? What hobbies do they have? Find out what their interests are in advance, how could you help them? What problems are they currently facing that you could help them overcome? If you found yourself alone in a lift with them, what would you talk about?