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Honestly, I used to avoid networking like it was a chore until a manager in Austin said 'just be curious about people'.
Now I set a goal to have one genuine 15-minute chat a week, and it's led to three solid referrals this quarter. Anyone else shift from dreading networking to actually finding it useful?
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harris.drew5mo ago
A podcast said curiosity is the best networking tool, and that really clicked for me.
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sethp264mo ago
Yeah, the "grilling them for contacts" part is exactly the risk. Real curiosity isn't a list of questions. It's hearing what someone says and asking one more thing because you actually want to know. If you're just waiting for your turn to talk or to get something from them, people feel that. It becomes a transaction, not a chat. The podcast idea is right, but only if the curiosity is genuine and you back off if they seem done.
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jessel355mo ago
But what if being too curious just annoys people? @harris.drew, think about it. Asking a ton of questions can feel like an interview, not a real chat. If someone's just trying to relax at an event, your "curiosity" might come off as nosy or like you're grilling them for contacts. Sometimes just being a good listener or having a normal, low-pressure conversation builds a better connection than firing off questions.
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