6 Tips for Confident Networking

Are you one of those rare (and very lucky ) people who enjoys networking?  

Or are you like many others?  


Do you arrive at a networking event, look around at the sea of faces, then find yourself barraged by a stream of doubts and uncertainties.

Negative self talk tells you that you’re a fraud, everyone else in the room is just great.  There they are experienced business professionals at home in this environment.  While you are just pretending, you don’t really know what you are doing!

And on top of you’re going to forget your speech, you won’t remember anyone else’s name and there is a very good chance you will forget your own!

The “sensible” part of you tells you not to be so silly.  But there you are with these negative thoughts and anxieties in your head. 

Relax and take a deep breath, then tell your brain it has more important things to think about! 


No, you are not going to have a heart attack as you take the floor.  You’ve got this under control and here are some tips to help!  

1. Relax, take a deep breath, and smile!  Taking in Oxygen deeply can steady nerves and lower your heart rate!  Smiling releases endorphins and makes you feel more comfortable.
2. Practice positive self-talk.  We all have some negative thoughts.  Be conscious of them and then cut them off.  Recognize them for what they are.  Then replace them.  As you approach the event fill your head with the repeated thought that you are confident and successful;  People like you.   Tell yourself firmly that you are going to do well and that people will be impressed.  Say it very loudly and firmly in your own head.  You can say out it loud in private at home before you go as well – repeat, repeat, repeat!  
3. Have a great elevator speech and practice it ahead of time. This is a short paragraph or two that describes who you are and what your business does.  Give it punch - make it interesting, informative, and memorable.  Practice delivering it at home with confidence and don’t rush.
4. Be memorable. What is it about you and your business that makes you unique?  Work it out then be quite clear about it.  Don’t be afraid to tell people – make it part of your branding
5. Have good contact material! Make sure you always have business cards with you with up-to-date contact information. It is worth investing in a good business card that you feel proud of.  They help you to feel very comfortable handing them out at networking events.
6. Be yourself and show an interest in others. Expect people to like you – tell yourself they will.  People like people who show an interest in them, and that is what you are going to do.  Remember you are bringing them a gift - your talents and experience and there can be no one else just like you! 

Now you are ready to get started.  Off you go and enjoy your networking.    

Do you have any tips for confident networking?  I’d love to hear them!


Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Blogger. She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those wanting to increase their confidence

If you would like to work on developing your own confidence, Wendy offers the Wisewolf Learn to Be Confident Program at this link

You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114

Related articles
Building Self- Confidence (cmaankur.wordpress.com)
Confidence- the evidence that you can overcome any barriers (successnetwork.wordpress.com)
Unemployed - Interview Techniques - Behavioural or Competency Based Interviewing (leavingthepublicsector.blogspot.com)

Ten Tips for a Happy Relationship

1. Be yourself. Trying to maintain a façade is exhausting and confidence-eroding
2. Don’t play games – be up-front. If something is bothering one of you, tell the other directly.  But be kind and listen to the other’s point of view. 
3. Be confident in yourself. If you have a good sense of your own self-worth, you’ll be confident in your relationship. So work on your own self confidence – you’ll find other tips on this site.
4. Set some ground rules at the beginning. For example, agree that you will have some free time with your other friends.  There will be times when you want to go out and let your hair down with your chums.  You should both be able to do this without recriminations.
5.  Be affectionate with each other. No I’m not talking about sex.  Just be gentle warm and touch each other.  If one of you can’t cope with that, think very carefully whether you want the relationship.  
6. Don’t snoop unless you really have good reason not to trust! Emails and voicemails taken out of context can cause a lot of unnecessary heartache.
7. Avoid the temptation to over analyze.  Let the relationship develop naturally and enjoy it.  Don’t spend all your time ruminating on whether it is going to last.
8. Have outside interests apart from the relationship. It makes you more interesting and if you start to feel insecure it helps to have something else to think about.
9. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations. Every time you find yourself thinking, “I don’t deserve this person” change it to “I deserve a wonderful relationship and more.” It will help you both feel good about the relationship
10. Don’t let the relationship progress too far without discussing major issues. Be honest, for example; about having children, religious differences, where you want to live.  Much better not to get too far in and then find out the devastating truth

Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Writer. 

She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those;

• looking for work
• looking for promotion or newly promoted
• moving between Public and Private Sectors
• facing redundancy
• moving into retirement
• wanting to do a mid-life review

You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114


Related articles
Building Self- Confidence (cmaankur.wordpress.com)
Confidence- the evidence that you can overcome any barriers (successnetwork.wordpress.com)
Unemployed - Interview Techniques - Behavioural or Competency Based Interviewing (leavingthepublicsector.blogspot.com)

Six Tips To Build Your Confidence At Work

Reframe

Think positively about the situation ahead. Whatever the situation is don’t dread it. Don’t let your inner voice tell you that you’re not going to do it well!  Firmly repeat to yourself how great you’re going to be and think about all the benefits you will get from doing well. Take control of the negativities and think positive about yourself.

Prepare

Whatever the task is, prepare for it. Spend some real quality time doing this; it will build your confidence. For example, if your task is a presentation then ensure you;

§  Know what you will say.

§  Practice it in from of a friend

§  Make sure it is vibrant and has something of you.

§  Learn the beginning, the end and the overall structure

§  Remember a picture is worth a thousand words

§  Present in front of a friend and work colleague before the actual day and get real constructive feedback

Volunteer

Stop prevaricating! Volunteer for things that scare you a little like presentations or leading meetings. You’ll find doing this builds you your confidence as you learn to confront your fears. You will be taking control!

Watch Your Body language

Think about how you stand and sit.  Do you look confident?  You will be surprised what a difference it will make it you hold you head up and don’t bend your shoulders! Have open gestures which show you’re happy for people to come and talk to you! Acting confident usually leads to confidence!  Change your body language and you can change your minds

Model Success

Think about people who are great in work situations!  How do they talk? What words do they use?  How do they stand?  What about how they behave with other people? Well sometimes imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery.  Let them inspire you instead of comparing yourself negatively!

Remember Your Past Successes

Think about things that have gone well for you; your successes.  Yes, you will have them if you let yourself think about them!  Write a list and pin it up some where you can see it every day! Remind yourself how you achieved success!  How did feel? Let these past successes provide with the fuel and energy to start winning again.

I’d love to hear how you get on and about your tips for confidence at work!  

Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Writer. 

She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those;

• looking for work
• looking for promotion or newly promoted
• moving between Public and Private Sectors
• facing redundancy
• moving into retirement
• wanting to do a mid-life review

You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114Related articles

• Becoming A Leader Today - What to give up! (wisewolftalking.com)
• Are you a resilient leader? (wisewolftalking.com)
• Business: Change Your Performance Mindset (psychologytoday.com)
• Confident Steps - Finding the Foundation (overachairfeet.wordpress.com)

Self-Esteem: A Guided Relaxation Session

A gentle guided relaxation session affirming the theme of love and self-esteem. 

Ten Quotes About Confidence To Raise Your Spirits

1.            There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mould. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision. When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.

Stacey Charter

2.            If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.

Jesse Jackson

3.            Have confidence that is you have done a little thing well, you can do a bigger thing well too

David Storey

4.            Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... the power to choose, to respond, to change.

Srephen R Covey

5.            Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.

Arthur Ashe

6.             You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.

Eleanor Roosevelt

7.            Confidence is key. Sometimes, you need to look like you're confident even when you're not.

Vanessa Hudgens

8.            Not hippie - my parents were not hippies - but they were very supportive and encouraging, and that does a lot for someone and it gives them a lot of confidence.

Jenna Elfman

9.            If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

Vincent Van Gogh

10.         You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

Dr Seuss

Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Writer. 

She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those;

• looking for work
• looking for promotion or newly promoted
• moving between Public and Private Sectors
• facing redundancy
• moving into retirement
• wanting to do a mid-life review

You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114Related articles

• Becoming A Leader Today - What to give up! (wisewolftalking.com)
• Are you a resilient leader? (wisewolftalking.com)
• Business: Change Your Performance Mindset (psychologytoday.com)
• Confident Steps - Finding the Foundation (overachairfeet.wordpress.com)

Your Confidence - The Resilient Mindset – don’t let a fixed mindset defeat you.

"Don’t change – stay right where you are"!

Nobody said change was easy.  Change is hard. It is uncomfortable and risky. 


That is why most of us don’t change until change is forced on us. 


We don’t change; even when making a change could make a huge and positive difference for us and those about us. 




Most of us have a mindset that favours staying put right where we are – a “fixed” mindset. And fixed mindsets lack resilience. 


Standing still and staying where we are, can present far more danger and risk in the long term than making a change.

Changing that mindset

So how do you develop a resilient mindset?

You need to learn to challenge your own thinking. 


Your fixed mindset will chatter away in your head, if you let it.  


It will fill your head with negativity and erode your confidence. 


That nasty fixed mindset will tell you that even if you wanted to change, you can’t do it! 


You’re not bright enough! You're not strong enough!  You don’t have the brains or the talent!

This time you are going to answer back. 

“Well I’m certainly bright enough – if I see the need for change, I’m bright enough to do it.


I can learn and I can find people who can advise me.  I can learn!” 


Your fixed mindset will probably answer – “But what happens if and when you fail? 


So here is your defence.  “Everyone fails sometimes.  But I’ll do it well and I’ll manage the risks – so I’ve got every chance of success”


“But” says your fixed mindset, “if you don’t make the change, you can’t fail.”

“No, but, if I don’t try, I’ve failed already! 


Now your fixed mindset sneers and becomes cunning.  “Oh so it is going to be easy for you then!” 


You smile wryly.  “No it isn’t going to be easy.  Nothing worth having comes easy. I’m going to do it”

Back into the shadows!

If you keep beating it back, at some point your fixed mindset will slink away into the shadows.  It won’t be dead. 


It may emerge occasionally when you are feeling tired or frustrated.

But you have the upper hand now.  You know you have to find the energy to take up your sword and beat it back into the shadows again. 


With practice you can learn to think positively and confidently about your change.  


You will develop a resilient mindset.


You can do it! You can make the change you desire – it is time to start believing. Reach for your  your sword and begin practicing.





 


Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Writer. 

She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those;

• looking for work
• looking for promotion or newly promoted
• moving between Public and Private Sectors
• facing redundancy
• moving into retirement
• wanting to do a mid-life review

You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114Related articles

• Becoming A Leader Today - What to give up! (wisewolftalking.com)
• Are you a resilient leader? (wisewolftalking.com)
• Business: Change Your Performance Mindset (psychologytoday.com)

10 Ways to Build Self Confidence Instantly

  

Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. 


Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you.


Perception is your reality and theirs — the more self confidence you have, the more likely it is you’ll succeed.

Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence.


By using these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential........ More at this link

Wendy Mason works as a Coach, Consultant and Writer. 
You can contact Wendy at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com  or ring ++44 (0)2084610114
She works with all kinds of people going through many different kinds of personal and career change, particularly those;

• looking for work
• looking for promotion or newly promoted
• moving between Public and Private Sectors
• facing redundancy
• moving into retirement
• wanting to do a mid-life review

Related articles

• The Pressure of Perception (romanticminimalist.wordpress.com)
• Dr. Suzan Caroll: Opening Portals because We are Ascending (stevebeckow.com)
• Moving the Fear Line (chrisg.com)