Awkward pauses happen all the time in conversations with someone you’ve just met. Awkwardness is not the end of the world. But it can feel very uncomfortable for those with little experience talking to strangers. And for some people, over time the fear of awkwardness can transform into a horrific bogeyman of anxiety. It becomes so intimidating … Read more
I just hosted another successful networking event tonight here in NYC with some amazing partners and collaborators. One thing I have noticed is that in networking situations, human beings tend to ask the exact same questions over and over. While this makes things somewhat boring and predictable, it’s understandable. People are often uncertain how to engage … Read more
Listening skills are an area that lots of people struggle with. How many of us ask someone their name or what they do for a living, and then immediately forget it? I’m not a perfect listener. But I have improved a lot from where I used to be. In my case, I had so many … Read more
I’ve written about concision before. This topic came up again recently at a talk that I was giving in NYC. One of the attendees found it difficult to keep her networking conversations concise. This happens to a lot of us. When talking to someone new, through a combination of wanting to be polite and just … Read more