Practice Like an Athlete

When I think about practicing, athletics, singing, or playing an instrument come to mind. Just like practicing a sport can improve your athletic skills, practicing networking will improve your professional life.

The good news? You are already practicing without knowing it. Ever arrive at a meeting early and start chatting with a colleague? You’re networking. Run into a colleague in the kitchen and start discussing what you did over the weekend? You’re networking. 

Now that you know that you are inadvertently networking, you can become more intentional to build this skill that will help you grow your career and personal life.

Practice your 30-second elevator speech with friends, colleagues, and mentors. Ask them what their favorite networking questions are, or better yet ask them what questions they hate—we all love to give advice. Use these techniques to improve and you’ll become more comfortable. 

Get to know your colleagues. I’m in touch with many co-workers from my high school job as an usherette at the Drury Lane Theater. They have been a great source of advice and fun. Maintaining these connections can be done easily virtually. Arrive at a meeting early, and invite a colleague for an online coffee; go old school and give someone a call; even a “hello” text can work. The more that you implement these ideas, the easier it will get. 

Mentors are an excellent, non-judgmental way to test out all sorts of techniques. From your elevator pitch to how to pitch an idea to your boss, a mentor can help you grow and give you great feedback. A mentor can also be your “wing person,” take you to events, and help you work the room.  

Like a sport, make networking practice a game to measure your progress. Each week challenge yourself to practice your networking skills two times. Over a month, track how many connections you made, what you learned, and if networking became more comfortable. Don’t forget to give yourself a high five, or a cheer to congratulate yourself for reaching your goal. Measuring is a great way of tracking growth. 

 Go forth, practice, and enjoy!