As a business consultant and executive coach I get asked a lot of questions, so I am introducing a brand-new blog segment called “Ask a Business Coach” where I will answer your questions. Whether it’s a hiring dilemma, a training issue, or a question about your career, I can help! E-mail your questions to shelley@premierrapport.com and I will answer them on the blog.

 To continue my kick off segment – round #3- I am addressing a topic that comes up more often than any other: NETWORKING. For many, networking comes naturally, but for others it’s a four-letter word. Over the next several weeks I will give answers to some of the most common questions I get asked about networking.

Q: I enjoy networking and being in a large group, but it drains me. What are some ways I can replenish my energy afterward an event?

A: On the surface, networking looks like standing around talking with fellow professionals and drinking coffee, but it is actually really hard work!

The most important advice I can give you is to know your limits. When you feel you need to run and hide, for example, or if you start to feel stressed out and are worried you will snap at someone, you have reached your limit and you need to take a break. Here are some tips I recommend for when you feel overwhelmed:

• Slip into the restroom or walk down an empty hallway to detach yourself for a few moments and to get your mind back under control.
• Laugh if you will, but power poses can work wonders. Striking a superman or superwoman pose in a bathroom stall can help you feel powerful. Recognize that you can get to it and through it, and soon enough you will be in your car or on the plane and you will once again be alone with your thoughts or your work.
• After the event, take a moment to think about what went well and where you might need to adjust your networking style, how you talk, etc. Also jot down notes about who of your new acquaintances you would like to follow up with.
• Have a go-to person for when you feel drained. Choose someone who knows you best and who can help you recharge your mental batteries.

Stay tuned to the blog for more answers to questions about networking. If you have a question you would like me to answer, send an e-mail to shelley@premierrapport.com.