Networking Secrets From the Samurai Warrior
If you’re new to networking (or still can’t get used to it) - you will love this!
You’re standing by the buffet at the networking meeting, alone, food in one hand and drink in the other. You’re scanning the back of the room, PRETENDING to look in control, and confident. Everyone else is carrying on animated conversations all around you, as you take a bite into a sandwich that you can hardly taste, because to be honest you’re feeling a little sick. Actually you’re feeling really sick. You’re scanning back of the room secretly hoping for the cavalry to come along and rescue you. The moments tick by, and then another long few moments. Tick Tock. You sigh inwardly as noise of all those people laughing, and making connections grows louder. You’re starting to feel like you’d rather be anywhere else but here, like the North Face of the Eiger or your mother-in-law’s for instance…. You surreptitiously look at your watch – “I’ve only been here 5 minutes! How am I going to get through a WHOLE evening?” you wonder.Someone once told me “approach your marketing, like your life depended on it”. Sure, your life is hanging by a thread right now as you stare at the ham sandwiches. You are completely riveted by the buffet and that glass of orange juice you’re holding. It’s easier than desperately looking around for someone to actually talk to. Although at the rate you’re getting through the sarnies you might need to go on a crash diet tomorrow and your GP might have to have some words about your blood pressure reading.The Samurai followed the ancient art of Bushido “The Way of the Warrior” which governed their whole thinking and behaviour. It WAS their life – their CODE, and governed how they died. The art of Bushido has been handed own through the centuries and adopted by modern martial arts such as Aikido and Karate and many of these rituals are part of modern Japanese life.
So what’s this got to do with Networking skills?
Have you ever watched a martial arts expert prepare? Have you noticed how different they are compared to the average man on the street? How invincible they look. If you watched them at the buffet eating a chicken leg, you’d think it was a lethal weapon and their demeanour suggests that they have the psychological advantage. They stand strong, they feel strong, they think strong, so they look strong. Bushido means ‘practising calmness of behaviour and composure of the mind neither of which should be bothered by passion of any kind’. It’s all about where you focus all your energy, where your attention is.
Have you ever watched a martial arts expert prepare? Have you noticed how different they are compared to the average man on the street? How invincible they look. If you watched them at the buffet eating a chicken leg, you’d think it was a lethal weapon and their demeanour suggests that they have the psychological advantage. They stand strong, they feel strong, they think strong, so they look strong. Bushido means ‘practising calmness of behaviour and composure of the mind neither of which should be bothered by passion of any kind’. It’s all about where you focus all your energy, where your attention is.
And here’s how they do it.
Now I want you to stand up. Yes that’s right. Stand up now. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Fill your lungs. Go on, deep breath. Now breathe again. Breathe out. Breathe in again, and again. Keep you feet shoulder width apart, head up. Now focus only on one spot in front of you. One spot in the distance, or on the wall. Dead ahead. Now as you look imagine that your whole consciousness, your mind, your thoughts and your feelings are moving down from your head to a spot just below your Naval. This is your centre, your Hara.
Now I want you to stand up. Yes that’s right. Stand up now. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Fill your lungs. Go on, deep breath. Now breathe again. Breathe out. Breathe in again, and again. Keep you feet shoulder width apart, head up. Now focus only on one spot in front of you. One spot in the distance, or on the wall. Dead ahead. Now as you look imagine that your whole consciousness, your mind, your thoughts and your feelings are moving down from your head to a spot just below your Naval. This is your centre, your Hara.
What this does is take control of your chattering voice. The annoying voice that says, “I’ll get my coat because nobody’s interested in what I have to say”. The cynical voice that says “give up now” and sabotages all your positive intentions, and makes excuses so you can let yourself off the hook and not follow-through on your actions. When you focus on the one spot and are centring yourself, your subconscious mind takes over. This is because having instructed your body to assume the stance of a warrior, your subconscious mind responds accordingly, by obeying the command to be strong.
Positive intentions, positive actions produce positive results.
Keep breathing; and as you breathe feel the sensation of your whole being joining with your Hara. You are no longer in your head. You are calm. Still breathing, feel the sensation your feet connecting with the ground. Remember stand straight, shoulders back, head up. You are now in a position to observe, watch and wait. Ready for any opportunity that is just about to come your way in the form of someone over there, looking at you now. Looking over at the calm composed and completely centred person eating a ham sandwich and sturdily holding a glass of orange juice like he/she owns the place. Now you must be very important, and must be worth talking to. Yeah, I think they’ve just caught your eye and are heading this way to start a conversation with you, and of course you know how to do that don’t you. That’s the really easy part.
Was this tip useful to you? What do you do that helps you at networking events?
Until Next Time
Warmest Regards
Wendy
Welcome to the world of self employment
Every person who has ever started out on his or her own (well unless you’re Donald Trump of course) has felt like this when venturing into the scary world of Networking. For some people it’s a piece of cake, for other’s its worse than taking their driving test, or walking the plank.
Every person who has ever started out on his or her own (well unless you’re Donald Trump of course) has felt like this when venturing into the scary world of Networking. For some people it’s a piece of cake, for other’s its worse than taking their driving test, or walking the plank.
But just calm down a minute, because you are not alone and this is really, REALLY common; I confess to being absolutely terrified the first time I went to a networking meeting, AND it was first thing and I am not a morning person. Once I even set my alarm incorrectly so I arrived at 5.45 a.m. instead of 6.45 a.m. (did I feel stupid or what? Fortunately, there wasn’t anyone around to actually WITNESS me feeling completely stupid.) But we can all do with a little bit of help sometimes. This topic came up again and again in my recent survey as a matter of fact.
So I want to introduce you to someone who can help you
I bring with me a visitor from a far away land, with a secret that you could use to take your networking to another level. But first, we need to take you away from here. So come with me and let’s meet a special person, a VERY special person, who’s going to change your life.
I bring with me a visitor from a far away land, with a secret that you could use to take your networking to another level. But first, we need to take you away from here. So come with me and let’s meet a special person, a VERY special person, who’s going to change your life.
He’s an expert in martial arts, he’s strong, and he’s calm, in control and knows his destiny. His life is governed by very strict rules that he follows to the letter. He carries a sword – in fact where he comes from only certain men are allowed to carry swords – it comes with the honour of being a Japanese Samurai Warrior. However, please don’t turn up at a networking meeting dressed in armour and carrying a sword.
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