3. News – The IPO of We Work crashed
and burned; what do you think?
Juul is laying off 500 employees;
is vaping a big deal in your world?
As long as you avoid politics, abortion
and religion, get ready for
great conversation.
4. State/Province – Letting someone
talk about where they grew up is
golden. No need to limit it to
birthplace, talk about landmarks
you visited, which ones you missed
and where your kids or parents
are residing.
5. Industry – How are you dealing
with the labour shortage? Are you
able to find masons? How has the
th
HUMAN RESOURCES
who remained silent. However, the
number one fear in talking to others
was what to say. Networking should
be logical and sensible, here are sensible
recommendations to fire start
a conversation:
1. Sports – Go ahead and ask about
the Oilers, Blue Jays or Raptors.
Sports brings out the passion in
a fan and gives you a continuous
stream of content.
2. Entertainment – What is the
latest with the Kardashians?
What shows are you bingeing?
Understanding someone’s tastes
allows you to compare notes and
make recommendations.
403-569-6986 RSFoundations.ca
legalization of marijuana impacted
your hiring? Here is the kernel that
forges a career connection.
6. Breezy Weather – Yep, you can
always talk about the weather, your
commute in the snow and why drivers
can’t drive in the rain. It’s an easy
form of connection that works.
7. Leisure Activities – Do you play
golf too? Are you in love with
murder mysteries? Where’s the best
hamburger you ever had? What are
your vacation plans?
8. Events – What conferences are you
attending? Which ones delivered
the most benefit? Are there any
events you recommend? Why or
why not?
Don’t forget the follow-up
Follow-up is the best building block of
a relationship. If you simply have one
conversation, the connection remains
at a dead end. However, if you share
articles, recommend a particular book,
suggest an industry event, email a
PowerPoint, you are converting the
connection into a relationship. Then
you know that your networking is
working.
Liz Goodgold is a leadership keynote
speaker and trainer who specializes
in the construction industry. Her work
as a partner and for women in the
industry builds better communication,
teams and results. For ideas on how
to support your team, connect with her
at Liz@LizGoodgold.com.
The old adage
about not mixing
business with
pleasure is wrong.
If you don’t
share anything,
you don’t learn
anything!
PESHKOVA/123RF
66 Q4 2019 www.pilingcanada.ca
/RSFoundations.ca
/profile_peshkova
link
/www.pilingcanada.ca
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