Talking to People You Don’t Know is an Effective Way to Network

By Rachel Rooney, Toppel Peer Advisor 

All of the technology in the world today—computers, smart phones, tablets—have great benefits. However, I’ve noticed that it is changing our ability to communication with one another. In one sense, we are able to communicate more globally with people all around the world. And we are able to communicate easier—a simple text gets the message across. However, with all of this I can’t help feeling as though we are losing something. I’ve made an observation on when I am standing in line for an event or in an elevator with other people or in a room for a meeting with people I don’t know. I’ve noticed that people who don’t know each other don’t talk to one another. Instead, we pull out our cell phones. And even that is making us talk less; calling each other is out of fashion, texting is in, but that doesn’t mean we are communicating better.

 

When we do interviewing workshops at Toppel, we ask the famous “tell me about yourself” question. We advise students to answer it the following way: state your name, where you are from, your degree, your year, your leadership experience, and why you think you are a good fit for the job you are applying for. This is known as an elevator pitch. Basically, what you would tell someone if you had from the top floor of an elevator to the ground floor. And if the someone person was the CEO of your dream company. 

I also think that we are at risk for losing something greater than networking; we are losing our stories. There is the history of communication; it began with talking. Before people could write information down or before typewriters or computers were invented, there were words. So the next time you are in a place with unfamiliar people, take the time to get to know them. There are over 7 billion people in this world; you are not going to get to know everyone, so be grateful for the chance to have the people in your life that you do have. You have so much to gain. Over the summer, I worked with college age students from all over the world—Japan, China, Spain, Colombia, Malaysia, Moldova, and America. There was a little bit of the language barrier, but I took the time to learn some key phrases in each of the different languages. I will know some of the amazing people I met there for the rest of my life. Gif Fach, for example is how you pronounce “how are you” in Romanian. University of Miami is the most diverse university in the United States and has many students come to study on exchanges. Study abroad is also a great way to network with people around the world.

I am not here to discredit technology as a form of networking or communicating, but I think we are starting to use it a little too much. People are addicted to their phones. If I asked you if you could live 48 hours without your phone, would you be able to? I think many of you would say no. We don’t have to live without our phones, but you should be able to put them down, especially when you are talking to people. The truth is that you don’t need to be on technology all the time. Take a break and talk to people. 

I was inspired to write this post, by an article I read in Forbes and by one in Riskology. The Forbes article is on the importance of small talk and the Riskology article is on the importance of talking to strangers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2012/03/30/six-reasons-small-talk-is-very-important-and-how-to-get-better-at-it/

http://riskology.co/the-importance-of-talking-to-strangers/

 

For an interesting article by Medical Health on how cell phones are affecting students, read here:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cell-phones-make-sleepy-screen-addicted-socially-awkward-students-their-grades-dont-stand-300562

Communication in the Workplace

By Thaimi Fina

For students embarking on their first job or internship, communicating with colleagues and supervisors can be intimidating and uncomfortable.  However, mastering this skill is crucial for building and maintaining lasting professional relationships with your co-workers. Strong communication skills can also help you to stand out as a genuine and confident person at your workplace.  To emphasize this point, here are three situations where it is imperative that you speak up and communicate effectively.

1. When you need help or guidance.
So, you’re currently working on three projects with quickly approaching deadlines when your supervisor stops by your desk and asks you to take on one more.  “Sure!” you say enthusiastically.  Cue panic response.  To make matters worse you have no clue how to accomplish this project and your supervisor provided minimal direction.  OK, now we’re really panicking.  This situation happens more often than you would think and it’s important that you learn how to adapt early on in your career.  To resolve this dilemma I propose the radical solution of (you guessed it) communicating! 

Avoid burning out with a plate full of unfinished projects by talking to your colleagues and seeing if they could help.  Perhaps one of them could assist you in making progress on one project while you diligently work on another (learning to delegate is also a valuable skill to hone in the workplace).  Or maybe they have experience in deciphering your boss’s enigmatic assignments and can provide valuable insights into the project.  If your co-workers are also clueless about what your supervisor expects, I would encourage you to speak with your supervisor and ask for clarification to ensure that you meet and exceed those expectations.  Communicating with colleagues and seeking their assistance in your work shows your team members that you value their input and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed by your workload.  This collaboration could also spark new ideas, promoting innovation and producing even stronger outcomes than if you had attempted the project on your own. 

2. When you’re bored or unsatisfied.

So, the work that you’re doing has become repetitive and boring.  You feel unchallenged and don’t feel that your skills are being utilized to their full potential.  As a result, you’ve become disengaged, cranky, and you dread coming to work every day.  Now, more than ever, it’s important for you to SPEAK UP!  (Perhaps in a more tactful way than Peter Gibbons did in Office Space…)

Whenever I speak with students in our Toppel Internship Program who don’t feel challenged enough by their internships, I always encourage them to ask for more.  If you’ve had your eye on a project your colleagues have been developing, don’t be afraid to ask if there’s any way you can help!  Most people are not going to turn down an extra pair of hands because, let’s face it, we’re all stressed and a little overworked.  Asking to become involved in more challenging assignments also shows initiative and demonstrates that you are a team-player.  As an intern, there may be limitations to the projects in which you may become involved.  The interns that I always find most impressive are the ones who overcome those limitations by creating their own projects.  Brainstorm new initiatives that could benefit the company or identify ways to improve the company’s current way of doing things.  You could pitch these ideas to your supervisor and offer to take the lead on the project.  By communicating with your supervisor and finding challenging projects to keep you motivated, you will begin to feel more engaged and establish yourself as a more valuable employee.

3. When you’ve messed up.

Alright.  So that dreaded moment of imperfection finally happened, showing everyone in your office that you are indeed (GASP) human.  You missed an important deadline, you came in an hour late, or you failed to catch a significant error in a report.  Whatever the mistake was, your response is likely to be consistent: you’re freaking out.  First and foremost, my advice to you is: relax, breathe, and stop beating yourself up for it because trust me it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Once you’ve composed yourself, it’s important to deal with this incident head on.  Avoiding your supervisor or pretending that it didn’t happen will only reflect poorly on you and cause others to perceive you as immature or apathetic. 

Set up a time to meet with your supervisor or colleague in person (a phone call, text, or e-mail can all be perceived as avoidant tactics and make it difficult to deduce your tone).  Be honest.  Tell your supervisor what happened and genuinely apologize for your mistake.  Before you go into this meeting, it’s also important to think about how you can fix or improve the situation or reduce the risk that it will happen again.  Present these ideas to your supervisor to show him or her that you have reflected on your mistake and are developing an action plan.  This also demonstrates that you are learning from your mistakes and are less likely to repeat them. 

After this conversation is complete, that’s when the real communication begins.  Remember that actions always speak louder than words.  Put those words into practice.  Double check your work.  Set three alarms if you have to.  Keep better track of your deadlines by purchasing an agenda.  Whatever action plan you devised, follow through with it!  Everyone makes occasional mistakes at work, but it’s how you recover from them that distinguishes a strong employee from a weak one. 


Communicating with higher-ups will always be somewhat intimidating and uncomfortable.  However, I hope that these examples have shown you the value of speaking up and how it can truly transform your experience in the workplace.  And like any other skill, it’s not going to hone itself.  So start now!  Speak your mind in a tactful and professional way and see the difference it can make in your career.