Theresa Royal Brown, the founder of Entrepreneur Professional Network and CEO of Premier Events Management has focused her career around planning corporate & high-end events and teaches networking with a focus on internal networking.  She chats to us today about the power of networking and why more than ever we need to be focusing on this core skill. 

3:06: People don’t know how to network the right way.  

After being at a few different networking events one thing became blatantly obvious to Theresa — not many people know how to network “the right way”. This lead Theresa to create her signature class: “Networking Your Way Into Your Next Job”.  Inside this class, she teaches people in organizations how to network correctly. She aims to help people learn how to use networking to get that new position and move up the ladder internally,  all based around networking across multiple departments and internal groups.  One of Theresa’s goals is to put an end to a trend we are seeing more and more inside companies: a lack of cross-communication between departments.  As Theresa states, “We stay in our own little cubicle – we don’t meet anyone else.” 

4:47  What is the biggest mistake you see in Networking? 

Theresa begins by explaining to us the biggest mistake she sees while watching other’s network at corporate events.  She calls it “Business Blocking”.  At its core, this involves a person interrupting a conversation when there are two people already engaged in one. This is a classic example of trying to network at the wrong time, by blocking a conversation and inhibiting it to go further. 

How do you change this and “interrupt” properly? Theresa explains you must put yourself in the peripheral vision of the person you want to talk to.  Allow them to “feel you” near them.  If that person does not look at you, this signals to you they are heavily invested in their current conversation and this is not a good time. Simply walk away and come back later.  You must learn to follow the signals of others in order to network efficiently. 

8:07 – While networking involves basic skills that we think everyone should know, we are finding the new generation doesn’t know these things. To fix this, we must begin to teach these skills & go back to the basics. Theresa highlights that these are valuable skills that you need as a professional in order to advance your career, it is the little things, such as the ability to network, that will help you to make the biggest moves.

10:30 – Networking can be intimidating if you feel as though you are more on the introverted side. However, Theresa explains networking is not intimidating because you are introverted, that is simply a common misconception. The reality is you need to learn the skills to network and you need to be given tips and advice on how to do it properly. Regardless of what industry you are in, or your personality type, you can network successfully. 

11:00- What makes internal networking different? 

When you are internally networking you have to remember that the people you are networking with are ones that you see every day. Your etiquette should be the best it can be, you must be mindful of who you are talking to and what their position is in the business and understand that the conversations and questions you have internally while networking are much different than in another networking setting. While networking internally it is much more strategic than when you are at an external networking event.  

15:35 The major benefits to networking internally 

Theresa wraps up the first part of this conversation by explaining the biggest benefits to networking internally and why they can truly advance your career forward: 

Able to generate some innovative ideas: new ideas come from collaboration

Mix experience with freshness: we are in our own bubble we need a fresh perspective 

Able to leverage your internal network and get some things done.  Collaborate to finish projects. Know the person so you will say yes 

Connect with Theresa Royale Brown

Website– https://premiereeventsmanagement.com/ https://www.epnetonline.com/?fbclid=IwAR1F9aHmKrR5U76FotUtpZbmhD0GlmJjTpowncmGlLBvQV3HopztEc-O5yU

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresaroyalbrown/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/theresaroyalbrown/