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AN EMBARRASSING MOMENT WHILE NETWORKING
Craig was an industrial chemical sales professional who was always
looking for ways to make contact and build rapport and with prospective
customers. He belonged to the local chamber of commerce and was
planning on attending a holiday after-hours event. The holiday events
always drew the biggest crowds. Craig was excited by all the top
level people who he heard were planning to attend. He spoke to his
wife Nancy about some of the guests he thought were going to be
there. As he was telling her all the big names who were planning
on attending, one name stood out, Thomas Townsend, the President
of Townsend Worldwide.
She said, "I think I went to school with his son Johnny."
Craig said, "Really? Maybe I can mention that as an icebreaker
when meeting him."
That evening as Craig was mingling, collecting business cards and
contact names and numbers, (For more on event-driven networking,
turn to Chapter X page xx.) when he saw the name tag of Mrs. Townsend.
He thought this was his' big chance' to build rapport with the president's
wife. Perhaps she would put in a good word for him to her husband.
He felt that this was a good strategy.
So, he walked over to Mrs. Townsend, introduced himself and said,
"Hello, my name is Craig Johnston, it's nice to meet you. I'm
very impressed with your husband's work. He has done so much for
our industry."
Mrs. Townsend politely thanked Craig for the compliment and was
about to turn and speak with someone else.
Craig detected that she was about to leave, so he quickly said,
"You know, my wife Nancy thinks that she went to high school
with one of your boys. Do you have two boys?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Did they go to West Field High School?"
"Yes they did," she graciously said.
"Well my wife went to school with your son Johnny."
Mrs. Townsend said, "We have a son named Jimmy and one named
Matthew, but no Johnny."
"Really?" said Craig, "My wife could have sworn
it was your son, maybe she got the name mixed up. Was one of them
in the marching band?"
"Both were," she said.
Then Craig said, "Well my wife graduated from high school
in 1978, when did you sons graduate."
Mrs. Townsend looked a little perplexed, almost as if wondering
if this was some kind of cruel joke, and said that her oldest had
graduated in 1994 and her youngest in 1998.
'Ow!' Craig thought. He suddenly realized that he just insinuated
that she could actually be old enough to have children 20 years
older than the ones she had. Craig was mortified. There was nothing
he could think to say to make things better so he said, "Obviously
I must be mistaken." Struggling for words to say to pull his
foot out of his mouth, he found none. He ended the conversation
with a quick and cliché, "Well, it was nice speaking
with you, happy holidays." And faded into the crowd.
His plan to charm the president's wife had backfired. He was so
embarrassed. He started to feel warm. He knew his face had become
flush. 'How stupid! I can't believe I said that! What an idiot I
was.' He said to himself. Craig was in no mood to continue his networking
and headed home. 'Wait 'til my wife Nancy hears this one.' He thought.
LESSONS LEARNED
Craig: What I learned from that embarrassing experience was the
importance of listen carefully. It was obvious that if Mrs. Townsend
said that she didn't have a son named Johnny, that she didn't! I
tried to force the conversation to go my way. I also learned that
focus is key. Networking events have many distractions that can
interfere with clear communication.
BOTTOMLINE
Oft times the less said the better!
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