I had the privilege and pleasure of being invited to a network dinner last week, courtesy of Bonallack and Bishop. For the record I actively avoid networking ‘dos’. Those few I have attended I have found to be rather awkward affairs. People don’t seem to be themselves at them. The talk is laboured and always about work, which is probably the point but frightfully boring at times.
Maybe attending networking events is like acquiring a skill? You need to work at it in order to get good at it. However, first impressions have rather put me off putting in the practice to ever get good at them. Give me a pub and pint and I’m much happier. And there in lies the rub.
Perhaps it was at a weak moment that Tim Bishop (of Bonallack and Bishop) caught me, or perhaps it was his tangible enthusiasm on the phone. Whatever it was, I found myself agreeing almost at once to coming along - to a “relaxed dinner at St Ann’s House.”
There were 14, or so, of us at the dinner, small enough to feel elite, big enough to mingle and make contacts. And, most importantly, the wine flowed and people relaxed. Thanks to this, early introductions about work either never materialised or moved quickly onto more general discussions and opinions on life, loves and likes. When the conversation eventually did come around to work, barriers were lowered and discussions were more honest, open and constructive.
A tremendous evening and I came away, not only having met some good people I felt I connected with and a handful of potential leads but a renewed appreciation of Salisbury and the dynamic and vibrant business scene that does exist here.
Rob | 8 June 2010