For International Women’s Day the Beehive team took part in an internal training course aimed at improving interpersonal skills and confidence in the workplace run by Foy & Co.
Women can sometimes fall into the trap of nurturing their network rather than leveraging it. Why do we do this, and how can we leverage it instead?
Here’s five top tips from what we learnt:
1. Networking isn’t just about connecting to people, you must also build trust. To do this look for ways to add value to your network, like offering to help or introduce another member of your network with a common interest.
2. To build your network search for events which interest you where you’re likely to meet like-minded people.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! People love being helpful and will appreciate that you have asked them!
4. At a networking event, find an excuse (e.g., “Please can you pass me the coffee”) to have small talk with someone. Ask open-ended questions rather than ones that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”, and go beyond work, “what did you do at the weekend?”
5. Something as simple as congratulating someone on social media about their recent achievement counts towards building trust with your network. Other easy ways to build trust can be sending a happy birthday message, sharing an article which may interest them or suggesting a coffee.
“I enjoyed attending Leanne’s masterclass! It was interactive and a game-changer for me. Her insights and practical advice helped me realize how to overcome some major obstacles in building my network and leveraging it.”
-Kryslyn Oliza, Marketing Executive
“The masterclass with Leanne Foy was fantastic! Personally, I learned a lot including the importance of networking and building it. I’ve also learned how to be confident. So, thanks Leanne for the great masterclass!”
–Anu Manandhar, Operations SME Executive
