NETWORKING TIPS FOR THE INFLUENCER

Are you enthusiastic, fun and optimistic?  Do you enjoy collaboration but dislike being ignored?  Well, chances are you’re an Influencer in the world of DISC profiling.  Influencers love to get their way and are often spontaneous and talkative.  Capable of thinking on the fly, they are frequently dancing around linguistically to make sure their point is the one everyone is left thinking about.

And that’s great!  There is a place in the world for Influencers too alongside the rest of us.  And, just like the rest of us, these types may find some of their natural traits get up the noses of others.  After all, no single character type is suitable to everyone.

The natural approach of the Influencer is to sell.  They are not usually out to sell a product or service as they innately understand this selling method has a low success rate.  The Influencer sells ideas.  And that’s fine too – until it’s not.

You see, Influencers often need some public recognition that their ideas are accepted.  Now, of course, no one is right every time.  So, in a networking environment, Influencers need to recognise the cues people give that demonstrate their point of view is not being bought.

Watch for arms that fold, eyes that look around the room or roll and a redirecting of the stance.  These are gestures that may indicate the Influencer has hammered their point home a little too solidly.  You see, influencers like to have their opinions accepted and if they are not, sometimes they don’t know when to stop hammering it.

So if you’re an Influencer, perhaps learning to have your say and allowing others have theirs is a good way to go.  After all, the world is a competition of ideas and a personality type doesn’t make one opinion more valuable than another.

 Enjoy

Lisa & Jo