Hospitality -- Transforms Networking

Hospitality Networking Interpersonal Strategies

How many networking events have you been invited to lately? You know, the ones you attend so you can launch your business or gain new customers? I’ve been to a few and rarely did I find new networking partners after all the cheese and crackers… Why?... Facts is, all the other folks there were more or less in competition for the same customers… so in most cases not many new alliances were formed. OK, so what possibilities are there to form supportive bonds in today’s business climate? Have you ever considered hospitality in your own home?

Hospitality is an adventure of sorts as a new way to know and support others in business. In an age where social isolation is a trend, hospitality brings lasting and meaningful friendships in a business community. At the MITA Center, Dr. Ellen Weber and I invite many business leaders into a home environment to enjoy a meal. That takes time and effort given our busy schedules, but the more we do it, we gain friendships with many new and very supportive networking partners.

Here are tips for great hospitality:

The idea is to “give” rather than to “get” Hospitality is more about the other person. Consider this as a way to value someone you admire and respect. “Just do it” without the idea you want something at the end.

Lavish others with no holds barred This is not about cheap, but about providing a meal fit for royalty – only the best. Yes, it costs time and effort to be hospitable, but rewards are beyond anything monetary. Every time Ellen and I invite business folks for a meal, we gain new “friends of the Center.”

Create ambiance Linen tablecloths, napkins, candles, and fresh flowers, along with just the right music in the background, create an amazing and welcoming environment. In the summer we really enjoy taking guests outside to the gazebo, where guests can enjoy the greenery and birds lighting on a feeder within a few feet. It is a true oasis from work environments and typical restaurants and folks delight in it.

Serve others It’s easy to pay someone else or have a wife or husband do the work, but something remarkable happens when you serve others yourself. Serving is a key to meaningful hospitality. Do what you do best and begin with something simple – even if it is to arrange a picnic in the back yard. Hospitality is something you initiate and do.

Focus on guests in your conversations Thoughtful conversations occur when you learn to bring out the best in your guests. I’m sure you want to discuss more than the weather! How? By asking two-footed questions. No doubt you have commonalities with guests, but as you learn to ask two-footed questions, you will bring out their best because you give them the stage. They delight in telling their stories, dreams, concerns…

Enjoy your time and don’t rush One of the most amazing realities about hospitality is that you do not know where it will lead. Hospitality is the beginning of an adventure with others and the end results are there waiting for you!