Start with events that are not business related but about something fun. You'll feel less pressure and get used to meeting strangers. Language learning events are great. I'm a foreigner in the country I live so I go to events where people want to practise my native language. That's perfect because I'm the expert :-)
Ask HN: How can I get better at networking as an introvert technical founder?
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Re: Ask HN: How can I get better at networking as an introvert technical founder?
#12Stop asking questions. Make statements instead. Not "Do you like Node.js?" But "I like how Node.js has evolved in the last 3 years. I don't care much for React though. I'd rather take on more Functional Programming gigs." Questions, even the best open ended ones may put the answerer on the spot. Better to model your expected response by answering the question first yourself.
I hear what you’re saying. However my experience (and suggestion) is the opposite. If one has trouble making small talk and networking a good trick is to get other people talking about themselves, their projects, their work. The best way to do that is to ask them questions. People in general like to talk about themselves.
I am not disagreeing with you. You are still asking questions here but initially putting out more into the interaction to try to tip it to an actual conversation. Let me give an example. Sometimes you have to jumpstart a conversation like you have to prime the pump.
Person 1: "What did you think of the talk?"
Person 2: "It was ok." (Kind of a knee-jerk almost blow off response)
Person 1: "The talk was better than the morning keynote. I liked how she talked about how the technical debt at her company was so large they had to declare Chapter 11 Technical bankruptcy. I worked at a place that had a similar situation. I felt chills." (pause)
Person 1: "I didn't get why she could not get approval for.."
Re: Ask HN: How can I get better at networking as an introvert technical founder?
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
I hear what you’re saying. However my experience (and suggestion) is the opposite. If one has trouble making small talk and networking a good trick is to get other people talking about themselves, their projects, their work. The best way to do that is to ask them questions. People in general like to talk about themselves.
I am not disagreeing with you. You are still asking questions here but initially putting out more into the interaction to try to tip it to an actual conversation. Let me give an example. Sometimes you have to jumpstart a conversation like you have to prime the pump. Person 1: "What did you think of the talk?" Person 2: "It was ok." (Kind of a knee-jerk almost blow off response) Person 1: "The talk was better than the…
Got it! Thanks for clarifying.
Re: Ask HN: How can I get better at networking as an introvert technical founder?
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not disagreeing with you. You are still asking questions here but initially putting out more into the interaction to try to tip it to an actual conversation. Let me give an example. Sometimes you have to jumpstart a conversation like you have to prime the pump. Person 1: "What did you think of the talk?" Person 2: "It was ok." (Kind of a knee-jerk almost blow off response) Person 1: "The talk was better than the…
Got it! Thanks for clarifying.
You're welcome. Eventually, it gets to the point where the other person feels the need to fill the pause. And then you have a conversation. The pause, though, can seem to be interminably long even if it is just like 5 seconds.
If you don't pause, you won't give them an entry into the conversation. Some people won't interject or interrupt.
Re: Ask HN: How can I get better at networking as an introvert technical founder?
#15Check out this episode from the Kevin Rose's podcast:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kevin-rose-show/id10...