I hate the “you don’t have to golf” headlines.
Yeah, I know those headlines are clickbait for someone like me, who thinks about the who, how and where people connect for business, so let me tell you why those headlines annoy me. Now this is a story I’ve shared before, so apologizes to those in the front row who have heard it before.
Early in my career – queue up Duran Duran and big hair – back in the 1990’s when I was an attorney in Toronto practicing a lot of banking and insolvency law, a partner I was working closely with, was rather blunt on how and where deals were struck in this particular practice area in this particular city. It was all conducted on the golf course.
His transparency on where the networking happened was a gift. An absolute gift.
It was the gift of deciding whether or not I wanted to continue in this area of the law. Did I like it so much that I would invest in golf as a business development activity?
It was the gift of freedom from endless, random schmoozing and wondering if networking was worth the effort! Grab clubs, jump in the golf cart, get on the course – that was where the business conversations were primarily happening.
Before you write off a networking activity as just “for the guys” – check the landscape of the industry / sector / location you are in.
When someone invites you into a networking “room” and explains why it is essential for your career advancement in the profession you profess a desire to succeed in, accept the invitation – or deeply probe your hesitancy or resistance.
Final thought (or suggestion) before entering a (new) profession, find out how those already in the profession feed their business funnell. What are the ways they are connecting to advance their business or land deals or meet customers? Is anyone operating (successfully) outside that networking model? Get answers to discover what you need to do to succeed.
It is not simply your skills, qualifications or GPA that determine your potential (shocker!), it’s also your ability to get those skills, qualifications and talents in the room with the decision makers. And that room my friends, regardless of gender, pronoun or sexual orientation, may just be a golf course.
Now, with that little career rant behind me, back to good ???? from my inbox:
- Why Professionalism Is BS (Christina Blacken on Linkedin)
- 5 Signs You’re Ready to Handle Your Speaking Appearances In-House (Amy Gray on LinkedIn)
- Liberating Our Voices From Silencing Systems (Lee Bonvissuto @ TEDxSUNYCortland)
- Play the Scene You’re In (Mary Lemmer’s Choose Improve)
- JUSTICE with Dahlia Lithwick: Supreme frustration, counting yourself in, and doing the work of democracy (VitalVoice podcast)
- Struggling With Barbie (Liza Donnelly’s Seeing Things)
The supplement industry in the United States is a hot mess, and consumers pay the price.
- Supplement Roulette (The Vajenda)
- Trade Show Tactics (August 23): a small business webinar offered by the Tory Burch Foundation.
- 6 Tips for Becoming Known for Your Ideas with Dorie Clark and Joya Dass (Drink Like a Lady Podcast)
- Law Firm Inclusion Poll: Calibrate Wants to Hear From You
- Satellites. Radiation. Extinction. Check out the upcoming events happening at The Shirley Project Space in Brooklyn.
- FinovateFall 2023 x NYCFW. Join NYC Fintech Women on September 13 for a women in fintech breakfast briefing.
- Women in the payments ecosystem this one is for your calendar: PayTech Women Leadership Summit, October 3 & 4 in Atlanta, GA.
- Virtual Special Event: Emmy Award-Winning Journalist Allison Gilbert, in Conversation with Brooke Warner, Publisher of She Writes Press and Co-Host of Write-minded Podcast – and it is happening, August 17.
“I think she will have a great impact on the way Generation Z sees leadership and the possibilities for themselves”
- Blurring the line between work and home life: the School of Diplomacy on female political leaders (The Setonian)
+ ICYMI find my latest Networking Pro-Tip here.
