In the article “Networking Your Way to the Boardroom,” Liz O’Donnell cites Nancy Mellard, executive vice president and general counsel for the Employee Services Division of CBIZ, as saying:

“It’s not just about going to a networking event; it’s about truly engaging people in your story… Attending a networking event is not enough. You must follow up after the event. Women must approach a networking event like they would approach closing a sale. Networking and telling your story are the two most critical tools for professional women today. The failure to effectively use these two tools is the gap in women on advisory boards. There are thousands of competent women who are not utilizing the correct tools to place themselves on these boards.”

From the above, the pieces that caught my attention are closing a sale, and networking and telling your story are the two most critical tools. As an introvert, networking events are not my cup of tea, though I force myself to attend them. When I attend an event my intent is to meet two new people and I make sure that I achieve my goal. To some people that’s low, but for me, it’s manageable and I have to be careful not to drain myself. If I meet more people that’s great, but I do not go out of my way to do so. I have a hard time transitioning into conversations especially when there are people who monopolize the conversation. What are your thoughts?

Now that I have read the article I have been thinking about my story because I have recently changed what I do for a living. My story would be something like this, “I am Chief Invisible Mentor, and I help people to mentor themselves and unleash their best selves, through The Invisible Mentor Blog by providing relevant information.” It needs work, but what do you think? What is you story? How do you follow-up after a networking event? What do you think of the article? Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.

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