This week, I’m doing more in-person networking than my introverted heart is comfortable with by attending the National Association of Women Business Owners’ annual conference, being held in Austin.
These are excellent tips Kristi! I'm reading this thinking "How could I not know these things already?", but I don't. I don't like conferences either. I'm one of the ones who will hide in the bathroom during the break, go back to my room at lunch. I am going to use these ideas for sure.
Thank you! Overall, I’ve had a terrific time and have deepened some of the relationships with people I already knew, but there was a point in the early afternoon when I wasn’t sure how I would make it until the end of the day. Solo breaks help!
Thanks for the mention, Kristi! I’m really looking forward to chatting to you on Wednesday.
I can associate with your feelings about the conference. Someone else introducing themselves as a fellow introvert would definitely help to put me at ease too!
Yes! I attended a panel yesterday about Networking for Introverts and Extraverts, and most people there identified as ambiverts, then introverts and finally extraverts. I sat next to an extrovert, who said she’d be riding the high of this event for days, which is mind-blowing.
Congratulations! I have been there a lot of times, and finding out that like a third or half of the people hate being there at least as much as me has, indeed, made it a lot easier. That's a good tip about wearing something that could be a conversation starter, too.
Alley (partner) is part of an introvert outreach type program at her work, and they actually do a pretty good job of supporting the group. It's really interesting to hear about a small group of introverts supporting one another. 2023 is very different form 1993!
Lol. We’ve come along way now that we can talk about our introversion. That’s so cool that Alley has a network of fellow introverted supporters. If I still officed, that would be so cool and probably would have prevented a lot of office conflict.
Yeah, I’m not sure about improv. There was a time I considered Toast Masters to help get me more comfortable speaking in groups, and I still think I would get a lot from it, although it would be terrifying.
These are excellent tips Kristi! I'm reading this thinking "How could I not know these things already?", but I don't. I don't like conferences either. I'm one of the ones who will hide in the bathroom during the break, go back to my room at lunch. I am going to use these ideas for sure.
Good luck in the jungle, may it go well❤
Thank you! Overall, I’ve had a terrific time and have deepened some of the relationships with people I already knew, but there was a point in the early afternoon when I wasn’t sure how I would make it until the end of the day. Solo breaks help!
Thanks for the mention, Kristi! I’m really looking forward to chatting to you on Wednesday.
I can associate with your feelings about the conference. Someone else introducing themselves as a fellow introvert would definitely help to put me at ease too!
Yes! I attended a panel yesterday about Networking for Introverts and Extraverts, and most people there identified as ambiverts, then introverts and finally extraverts. I sat next to an extrovert, who said she’d be riding the high of this event for days, which is mind-blowing.
Congratulations! I have been there a lot of times, and finding out that like a third or half of the people hate being there at least as much as me has, indeed, made it a lot easier. That's a good tip about wearing something that could be a conversation starter, too.
Alley (partner) is part of an introvert outreach type program at her work, and they actually do a pretty good job of supporting the group. It's really interesting to hear about a small group of introverts supporting one another. 2023 is very different form 1993!
Lol. We’ve come along way now that we can talk about our introversion. That’s so cool that Alley has a network of fellow introverted supporters. If I still officed, that would be so cool and probably would have prevented a lot of office conflict.
We're growing! It's weird and exciting.
Mostly weird, though.
Improv sounds truly terrifying, and amazing, should I ever be brave enough to try (likely not!). Thanks for this post and the mention!
Yeah, I’m not sure about improv. There was a time I considered Toast Masters to help get me more comfortable speaking in groups, and I still think I would get a lot from it, although it would be terrifying.