Since 2019, the city of Toronto has hosted Collision, one of the largest marketing and tech conferences in the world. Taking place in June, the conference sees a global gathering of tech founders, entrepreneurs and innovators among others.
As a Toronto native who will be attending Collision, I have been reflecting on some of the ways in which networking and communication is done in North America. Networking events can take place across North America, from Disrupt to SXSW. Compared to Japan, where networking is a lot more formalized, North American networking can seem like uncharted waters, especially for those outside of the culture.
Even some of my peers from other English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom or New Zealand, can sometimes find the North American way of doing things a bit frenetic. In this article we will first go over some of the reasons why business people may struggle with networking in North America, before discussing the ways in which networking is done in a North American context.
Understanding Cultural Communication
Before even beginning to think about the conference, it is important to understand why you may be struggling at networking in North America. Understanding communication differences is essential for effective networking and collaboration between professionals from Japan and North America. There is a huge cultural gap in this regard, one that is difficult to overcome. It is therefore important to embrace a global mindset when learning to communicate and network with people of different backgrounds.
Cultural anthropologist Edward Hall developed a cultural communication spectrum, which he uses to categorize the communication styles of each culture. On one end of the spectrum are high-context cultures, which include many East Asian countries, such as Japan, China and Korea.
These cultures are characterized by a communication style in which part of the information is conveyed through implicit messages and shared understandings that are deeply rooted in cultural norms. This means that many cultural aspects tend to be ingrained at a young age, making it unnecessary to state everything explicitly, as the meaning is often understood through cultural context.
While convenient within a culture, business people from high-context cultures often struggle in global communications, because parts of the communication style are implied and not explicitly said. This is in contrast to low-context cultures, where everything is stated directly and there is little room for interpretation. Germany, the Netherlands and many central European countries serve as good examples of low-context cultures.
Canada and the United States are also considered low-context cultures, although there are practices that require some context in formal or business speech. Understanding these cultural norms is essential to learning to network in a North American context.
Cultural Norms in North American Networking
Now that we have gone over some of the barriers to cultural communication, it is important to understand what some of the cultural norms are so that you can navigate a North American networking event more effectively. Learning to network in North America can be seen as somewhat aimless to high-context cultures, where the cultural norms are more defined. Below, we have outlined some of the key things to expect when networking.
1. Handshakes:
While in Japan and other parts of East Asia bowing is more appropriate, handshakes are a more direct form of communication meant to establish trust as equals.
2. Introductions and Elevator Pitches:
When introducing yourself the expectation is that you concisely state who you are, what company you work for and your role in the company. If inquired further, you can give a brief compelling summary for your role in the company and what your company does. This summary is called an elevator pitch. Strong networkers prepare an introduction, an elevator pitch and some common questions that are easy to anticipate.
3. Small Talk:
When meeting someone for the first time, a bit of small talk before engaging directly with business is common practice. Common small talk topics, such as the weather, movies and sports can help extend a conversation and build rapport with your conversation partner before moving into deeper topics. You can prepare by practicing responses to small talk questions.
4. Responses:
When speaking with someone, whether it is about small talk or about a deeper topic, it is important to respond and not simply remain silent. Responding with questions or statements shows engagement and interest, which the other party will appreciate.
5. Following Up:
As your conversation is winding down ensure that you have a variety of methods to follow-up with your conversation partner. Just as in Japanese culture, having a business card ready is essential and make sure you have a form of SNS such as Twitter or LinkedIn ready to share. After the conference, shooting a thank you email for someone’s time is also important and can help deepen a connection.
How to Prepare
As with any conference, planning in advance is essential to ensure a successful and productive experience. Preparing ahead allows you to identify key sessions, prioritize networking opportunities, and set clear objectives for what you aim to achieve. Start by asking yourself questions such as, “what do I want to get out of this conference?” or “what do I want to see at this conference?” By planning ahead, you will ensure that you make the most of your conference experience.
Ensure that you research key details about the conference such as the prominent speakers, panels, workshops and the companies in attendance. Familiarizing yourself with the agenda will help you formulate good questions and create interesting dialogues with people that you are interested in networking with.
Additionally, it is important to prepare your toolkit for the conference. Ensure that you not only have prepared your business cards, but that you have practiced your introduction and elevator pitch. I also like to have some quick responses to common questions memorized and to bring a pen and booklet for taking notes.
Here are some common introductory questions you may hear while networking:
- What brings you here (to the conference)?
- What do you think about _____ (topic)?
- Is this your first time here (at the conference)?
- Which sessions are you most interested in (attending)?
- How did you get started in your industry?
All of this preparation prior to the conference will help you feel less nervous about networking and will help you to better succeed at making meaningful connections.
Tips to Succeed at Networking
One of the challenges many people face with networking is how it can sometimes feel impersonal. It may seem difficult to make genuine connections in a setting where brief, surface-level interactions are common. It is important to remember though, that networking is about building business connections. With the right approach, it is possible to build meaningful relationships even in an environment where everyone is trying to make the most of their time.
The first piece of advice I can give you is to ask yourself about value. In other words, ask yourself what aspect of you can you bring to an environment that other people cannot? Trying to add value to a room, rather than looking for what you can get out of it, helps establish your presence while showcasing a unique perspective.
It does not matter that you may not be the most knowledgeable about a subject. Remember that you are there to learn as much as you are there to contribute. What matters is the genuine interest in the conversation.
This leads into another piece of advice. It is important to listen to what other people have to say. Communication is a dance (or what might be called “catchball” in Japanese), rather than a monologue. One person talking all the time without sharing time can be exhausting to listen to. Moreover, there are tactical advantages to listening to others. Listening to others can provide valuable insights into unfamiliar subjects and gives your brain time to mentally recover.
As stated earlier, responding in a meaningful way is also a valuable part of networking and demonstrates that you are really listening to the rest of the room. Having responses and questions that show genuine interest, will help deepen both your understanding of a subject and the connections with the people you are networking with.
One of the best ways to deepen your connection with someone is to be open and to be genuine. Sharing your true thoughts and experiences will create trust and encourage others to reciprocate. Even if you think your story is uninteresting, it is likely because you yourself have heard it a thousand times. That does not mean other people cannot find value in it. By sharing your story in an honest fashion, you create a foundation for deeper connections to form.
Finally, a word of caution about being overly friendly. While it is important to be friendly to build rapport with someone, maintaining a professional demeanor is equally crucial. In most circumstances, you have likely not known this person for long and may be overly persistent. Learning to pull away from a conversation in a respectful yet friendly manner, is an artform in itself.
Do not lie to the other person about your time; honesty is always the best policy. Instead, mention that you need to move on to another discussion or attend a session, but that you would like to keep the conversation going later. This approach maintains the positive connection you have established while allowing you to manage your time effectively. More than likely, the other person will be thankful for the easy out as well, as they also want to maximize their time effectively.
Conclusion
Networking is something that is done throughout the world. However, the ways in which people network can vary from culture to culture. In a North American context, it is important to understand some of the cultural norms of networking and some of the ways you can prepare to achieve the goals you set out for yourself. Do not allow yourself to be fueled by the fear of not getting adequate value for your time at the conference. Remember that there are thousands of people attending this conference. You are bound to make at least a few connections.
So prep your business cards, practice your pitches and head to your conference, whether it is your local small business gathering or Collision.
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