networking is the professional milquetoast's term for hustling. (N.B. to my sister: milquetoast does not mean bland!!)
i've been networking myself silly of late, and it sometimes feels much more like i'm throwing elbows.
as civilized as you behave at such functions, you are working people and the room with an agenda. it's a constant hustle, this profession.
i talked with one gentleman this evening who clearly was not buying. his lost interest became evident some time after my attempt to salvage an early unguarded answer. he makes a good point--candor is not the name of this game (so sue me, i'm rusty).
but the problem with him is that he completely obliterated all sport in the evening's activity, veiled hint of ulterior motives and all. stripped down to sales pitches alone, all conversations are entirely unpleasant. and this is what he wanted from me. but why? whyyy?! was it his validated sense of entitlement? probably. in addition, however, i think he was actually disinterested from the get. to overcome same, he deigned to give me a chance to persuade him otherwise, lest he come off as rude. this was a small, tiny opportunity, but an opportunity nonetheless, and i failed to utilize it to my advantage. lesson learned. 1) know your fans. 2) know your audience (usually not my fans). 3) know the game (barf).
i've been networking myself silly of late, and it sometimes feels much more like i'm throwing elbows.
as civilized as you behave at such functions, you are working people and the room with an agenda. it's a constant hustle, this profession.
i talked with one gentleman this evening who clearly was not buying. his lost interest became evident some time after my attempt to salvage an early unguarded answer. he makes a good point--candor is not the name of this game (so sue me, i'm rusty).
but the problem with him is that he completely obliterated all sport in the evening's activity, veiled hint of ulterior motives and all. stripped down to sales pitches alone, all conversations are entirely unpleasant. and this is what he wanted from me. but why? whyyy?! was it his validated sense of entitlement? probably. in addition, however, i think he was actually disinterested from the get. to overcome same, he deigned to give me a chance to persuade him otherwise, lest he come off as rude. this was a small, tiny opportunity, but an opportunity nonetheless, and i failed to utilize it to my advantage. lesson learned. 1) know your fans. 2) know your audience (usually not my fans). 3) know the game (barf).
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