From the course: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Networking

Advice for extroverts

- Most people think that extroverts are the best networkers. This isn't always the case. I want to pass along some important observations about this. Even if you're an introvert, this'll be helpful because you'll be meeting plenty of extroverts along the way and the more you understand about how all people operate, the more effective of a networker you'll be. So, how can being an extrovert work against you? Extroverts don't listen as well as introverts and omniverts. If you're an extrovert, get your ears on and be ready to ask questions and then listen, really listen to the answers. Here's six more tips for extroverts. First, channel your extroversion to opening conversations with people, but not as a way to impress them. Resist the urge to make it about yourself. You want to win their trust here. Extroverts may not realize that their confidence can have the exact opposite impact than they think it does. Rather than being impressed, listeners to extroverts often feel bombarded or intimidated. That's the last thing you want. Next, listen and take notes when others talk about themselves. Whether you should take mental notes or literally write notes down, well, depend on the situation of course, but listening in this way is a great preventative for a curse that's common to extroverts and that's their tendency to only appear to be listening, while what they're really doing is just waiting for an opportunity to speak. Don't jump into your story right off the bat. If you save your stories for the right moment, they'll land with more impact and you won't come across as someone looking for an audience. Resist the temptation to talk about yourself, always make it about the other person. This is not only a generous thing to do, but instantly makes you more interesting. Good listeners who ask questions are always more interesting people. Don't one-up the speaker with your more interesting or funny tale. It's a conversation, not a competition. Don't be cocky or arrogant or the smart guy who knows everything. Play it cool, my silver tongue extroverts and you'll be remembered well for what you didn't say, rather than remembered badly for what you did say.

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