Chapter 27
The Fundamentals
Mastering the fundamentals of networking will give you a strong foundation on which to build your professional network. In some cases these may seem like obvious minor details, but in fact little things can make all the difference. The good news is that the fundamentals are easy to learn.
As we go through school and start our careers, the focus is on learning the specific skills required for our industry rather than learning the simple things that make life easy and give us a professional edge.
As you read this section you may discover that you've missed the mark on one or more of these skills. Even if you've been doing all of them wrong before reading this book, don't worry—you're in very good company. I've witnessed countless senior executives fumble with the fundamentals.
Learning these skills will help you focus on connecting with others rather than worrying about what fork to use or on which side of your body to put your name tag. With a little practice these skills will become automatic and give you a confidence boost because you won't have to second-guess your every move.
Once you've mastered these skills, don't expect people to “ooh” and “ahh” from across a crowded room. Actually, most people won't even notice when you're doing something right. The specifics will become nonissues.
If you mess up and do something wrong, that's when people in the know will notice.
When you master these procedures you will exude confidence and present a positive, ...
