Networking offline and online a pain in the neck most time. 90% of the time you try to figure out what people actually want and you have to invest time into every new contact as being polite is how I try to be.
However you don’t really waste time, it’s time invested in finding the right contact.
Most people want something without having to give anything back – even having to learn your name, PR people you are the worst – mostly they want time, and it’s most annoying that free advice is never respected, whilst very expensive advice is listened to with baited breath.
I love networking with Americans, they are more direct and have an increased expectation that networking is useful. The Brits tend to have a more moody disposition to connecting and helping each other out, and are much more comfortable muttering from the sidelines.
Although I’ve always found Italians excited and interested.
Sweedish tend to be looking into the middle distance wondering if there are bodies buried nearby.
OK, time to stop before we go through every national stereotype, and I have work to avoid today.
This stream of consciousness was brought to you by a nutty, Columbian coffee bean.