Interested versus Interesting

Conversation is a two-way street. However, in the interest of networking effectiveness, you really need to be more of a listener.

Again, to quote the late Walter Cronkite, we need to be more interested than interesting. That is to say, listening, being interested, is by far preferable to working hard at being interesting.

Start a conversation with a question. Guide the discussion toward your conversant. Listen carefully and build on each question. Learn something about who they are and what they do. Where did they go to school? Are they a local native? Why did they choose their career? What's it like to do their kind of work?

You get the idea: this isn't about you--yet. When the conversation turns to you (and it will, if your conversant does what you do), politely answer questions, but go back to them. From your perspective, you'll learn more about them and you by sharing.

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Opinion versus fact

With the passing of Walter Cronkite, the sharing and reporting of information has been discussed. Mr. Cronkite, being the reporter and editor he was, knew the difference between opinion and fact.

Whether it takes written form or conversation, relating information continues to change. Today's world of instant information has put a different spin on things, but, ultimately, the concept shouldn't have changed.

We all need to know the difference between opinion and fact. And corroborated fact. Mr. Cronkite, and my journalism professor, Ted Conover, would agree that you not only get your information from more than one source, that you also make sure that you hear what you're repeating from more than one source.

When we are in conversation with those in our network, we want to make sure we are accurate, ethical and clear in information we are passing along. Whether it is a job lead, information about a company or facts about our host, we must be accurate and honest.

It's only good manners.

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