Comments on: How your conversations are keeping you from being an effective networker. http://mollywendell.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/how-your-conversations-are-keeping-you-from-being-an-effective-networker/ The New Job Search: Break all the rules. Get connected. And get hired faster for the money you're worth. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:48:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: John Turbeville http://mollywendell.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/how-your-conversations-are-keeping-you-from-being-an-effective-networker/#comment-304 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:36:08 +0000 http://mollywendell.com/?p=556#comment-304 Great Article! Well said.

]]> By: t http://mollywendell.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/how-your-conversations-are-keeping-you-from-being-an-effective-networker/#comment-259 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:26:18 +0000 http://mollywendell.com/?p=556#comment-259 That’s funny you bring up the whole “Let them win” idea. Back when I was in high school I used to run cross country. We’d train for six to eight miles every night – I used to be so sore I could barely make it up the stairs at night. Anyway, for one of the races I was moved up to Varsity because Jim Swinton injured himself, and they needed one more person to run. And I was the number two guy on JV, but they picked me anyways. So there I was for my first varsity race and the gun goes off. I did ok, but not that great, and ended up finishing something like 50th or so.

Later my family moved to a different state and I took up soccer instead. Then I went to college, got married, and lived in about five more cities before finally settling down a bit.

One night over dinner my wife and I were talking about running and racing and the like, and I was telling the story about my one varsity cross-country meet and how I did. She asked me how I felt about finishing so far back in the pack. I just smiled and told her I felt fine about it – I wasn’t trying that hard, so in a way I sort of let everyone else win. We both had a good laugh about it.

Pedicure anyone?… ;-)

]]> By: L. E. Milton http://mollywendell.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/how-your-conversations-are-keeping-you-from-being-an-effective-networker/#comment-224 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:48:21 +0000 http://mollywendell.com/?p=556#comment-224 I thought you were writing about me! I was terrible of doing this in my 20′s and 30′s. In my 40′s I joined a Dialog group that helped me learn to inquire (ask questions) to others more than advocate my ideas, my needs, my life, etc. it helped immensely.

When networking or smoozing, I really find it best (as you advise Molly) to ask them questions before I start talking about myself. This gets people talking about themselves even if they go way off topic. I still bite my tongue so I don’t steal the conversation myself… Great article glad I am on your email list… Elizabeth

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