Stempra newsletter

Spring 2007

Interview with Fiona Fox

How to network

Eurochat

Stempra media training day

Stempra newsletter

Putting an end to clammy hands and stilted conversation

Four years ago, when I first became a Press Officer, I attended the Daily Telegraph's "Science Meets the Media" party at the Royal Society. I will never forget walking into the densely packed room, hundreds of people, chattering away animatedly in their groups, the noise cacophonous.

The scars are still with me. Last year, when asked at my Wellcome Trust interview what my weak point was, I confessed it to be networking. Fortunately, the interviewing panel overlooked the fact that this was one of the key skills needed by a press officer and still chose to appoint me.

And yet, if the number of people at the recent Stempra "Networking for dummies" was anything to go by, many of us feel we could do better at this key skill – over 40 "dummies" attended, staying on to put into practice what we had learnt.

The workshop was given by Robert Phipps, a body language expert, whose media appearances include Big Brother's Little Brother and The Trisha Goddard Show. (Trisha was unable to chair the event, which meant the attendees were spared the embarrassment of on-the-spot paternity tests.) We are very grateful to Robert for giving his time for free.

Whilst some of Robert's "scientific" sources left one or two in the audience nonplussed (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, anyone?), his insights were nothing if not entertaining. They certainly gave food for thought (or in the case of networking events, canapés for discussion) and made us a lot more self-aware sipping mulled wine and munching mince pies afterwards.

So, without further prattle (always a killer when you're trying to hold someone's attention), here is what I picked up from Robert's talk:

1. Hold your drink in your left hand
There's nothing worse that offering someone a cold, clammy hand from holding your glass of wine, or spilling your wine over them as you swap hands.

2. Don't hold anything across your chest
Holding drinks, bags, conference papers, etc. across your chest acts as a physical and psychological barrier. Hold them by your side or at least lower down.

3. Find a useful ice-breaker
Easier said than done, but Robert suggests finding something interesting about them (a badge, a tie emblem, etc.) and asking them a question about it, or just asking simply "What brings you to this meeting?"

4. Smile…
…Then tilt your head backwards slightly and raise your eyebrows in an "eyebrow flash". It will charm them.

5. Don't talk about yourself
You may think you are the most interesting person in the room, but don't talk about yourself unless asked.

6. Use your hands
Use right-handed gestures to give information and your left handed ones to request info and to gain compromise. Double-handed gestures reinforce words. But be careful not to look too like Tony Blair.

7. If you want to get out of a conversation, stare at the other person's forehead.
No, I don't understand this one, either. But it must be quite unsettling for them, so it's no wonder they make their excuses and bring the conversation to a close.

There's much more where these came from and Robert only scratched the surface. For further information about brushing up on your networking skills, contact:

Robert Phipps
www.robertphipps.com
www.bodylanguagetraining.com
Tel: 08707 414 333 or 07715 449450
Email: robert.phipps@SMARTraining.com

Craig Brierley,
Wellcome Trust,
c.brierley@wellcome.ac.uk

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