I have a serious distaste for ‘networking events’. The visual churns my stomach. People dressed to the gills, ‘hobnobbing’ over bad wine and stale cheese. People jockeying for position to visit with the ‘powers that be,’ with an eye towards generating new business and creating social capital.
I dread attending these events, but consider it an occupational hazard. It comes with my territory. I find myself standing in a corner, sipping a beer (Yes, the wine is normally that bad), biding my time to head for the exit. There has to be a better way.
And there is…
At the The North American Leadership Academy (NALA), they do it right.
They build networks in small groups, where you talk about your life, bare your soul, build trust, share insecurities, work on your weaknesses, and create meaningful bonds, that will last a lifetime.
There is no ulterior motive, no agenda, no politics in the air. Just an effort to allow leaders time to think, reflect, breathe. Now that’s my kind of networking program.
About Hemant Rustogi