Put the effort to connect

It pays off eventually. Efforts to connect may not pay off right there and then, or even in a fair way, but they do pay off.

Even if this effort pays off half the time, it is worth it.

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7 Best Practices for Networking That Actually Work

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inc.com

Your network is your net worth. When people think about networking, they imagine themselves walking around a big event, trying their best to be extroverted. They think about shaking hands and exchanging business cards, with the hope that sometime in the not-so-distant future an unbelievable opportunity will fall right into their lap.

Key Ideas

Make friends, not contacts

Friends do business with friends.

By no means is this a suggestion to go be one of those social climbers who pretends to make friends in the name of getting to the top. It's more ab...

Listening

One of the best networking hacks in the world.

People with knowledge tend to hold back what they know under the presumption that you aren't really interested in what they have to say. But if you listen and show not only your interest but your appreciation, they will share. They will share everything they know, and then some. So not only is this a learning opportunity for you, but it becomes one of the fastest ways to make friends and build an incredible network.

Ask for an introduction

Everybody knows someone. If you want to meet someone in particular, ask the people you know if they know anyone who knows the person--and then ask them to make an introduction.

At the end of the day, a warm lead is always better than a cold lead. If you can get in the door with some sort of referral, that will always be better than a cold email or phone call.

3 more ideas

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The Ultimate Guide To Being An Introvert - The Mission - Medium

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medium.com

Being an introvert has nothing to do with being shy. Or being outgoing or not outgoing. Or being socially awkward. All it means is that some people recharge when they are by themselves (introverts). Other people recharge when they are interacting with many other people (extraverts) and most people are in the middle.

Key Ideas

Being an introvert

Being an introvert has nothing to do with being shy.

All it means is that some people recharge when they are by themselves (introverts).

Deal With Being an Introvert

Learn to recharge by yourself. You can be enormously creative and successful once you know how to recharge.
Create a life where you can have more time by yourself.
Make small incremental moves towards the life you want to live.
Ask yourself throughout the day: is this activity giving me energy or draining me?
Be humble enough to realize what you are not good at.
Self-esteem is great if you earn it. But if you have no gas in the car, faking your gas gauge won’t make the car run longer.

Gets things done as an introvert

Write down ten ideas a day to keep being creative.
Read a lot to keep learning.
“Execution ideas” are a subset of ideas. When you have an idea you want to test, think of the next execution ideas to get the idea done.
Talk with friends who can help if you think the idea is starting to gain traction.
Focus your execution efforts on the things you're skilled at and hire or outsource the other things.
Work with people who are good at what they do, so you can be good at what you do.

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7 Ways to Better Networking

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entrepreneur.com

5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Many people (including me) offer advice on what it takes to be better at networking. One thing often is left out of that equation, however: Networking involves interacting with others, so it's worth asking what the average person believes it takes to become great.

Key Idea

Top Characteristics of a Great Networker

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Good listener.
Positive attitude: it makes people want to cooperate and associate with you.
Collaborative to serve others.
Sincere