Challenges of networking and neurodiversity

How do people with neurodiverse conditions cope with networking?

There used to be a joke that you know when an introvert is networking because they look at your shoes instead of their own.  Introversion isn't a neurodiverse/neurodivergent condition but I mention it because so many people find networking challenging so being aware of this helps us find ways to give more people the chance to connect and build great relationships.

Nathan Whitbread is a Neurodivergent Coach and offers some great insights into the challenges people with neurodiverse conditions face when networking. I think they're challenges that a great many of us face and his ideas can be applied equally to neurotypical people. See what you think: 

Walking into a room full of strangers that you are supposed to be interacting with can be incredibly daunting. Add on top of this anxiety around who you are and how you communicate and suddenly there is a bit of a recipe for potential problems. Welcome to neurodiversity and networking.

As a neurodivergent person, I have always found networking a little bit challenging as it seems everyone else knows exactly what they are doing. So here are some things that I feel can help make what is a tricky area into something far more manageable and something you can achieve at.

Being ready to talk

The best spontaneous conversations are well practised!

This may sound like a completely bizarre statement, but the truth is if you want to be spontaneous and have something to say you need to practice. This could be as simple as practising engaging with strangers in conversation or just being ready to start more conversations with your friends about topics that you think they may be interested in.

Asking questions that make connections

With networking the key thing is finding out what the other person wants, not telling them what you want. I would encourage you to start conversations by asking questions about how you can help. For example, you might want to ask:

• why someone is there?
• or what challenges they are experiencing, that you could help with?

Telling real punchy stories

Think about your own stories, the things you have done, the people you have met and how they can be relevant to the people you are talking to now. No one can resist a story, especially when they help them solve problems. When telling stories it’s important that they are punchy and to the point and that while you’re telling them you are seeking feedback to make sure they are relevant to the person you’re talking to. (if their eyes glaze over or their face changes make sure you ask them if this is useful – if in doubt ask!)

For example, you might have a story about a recent client (you do not have to use the client’s name) or a problem that you solved as part of your work.

I would always recommend using stories as they illustrate not only the benefits and strengths that you can bring, but they also bring you alive as a person.

Being ok with who you are

Believe it or not, you are the very best person at being you, and there is no one else quite like you. Do not try and be someone else, be yourself that’s why people want to get to know you. It is important to celebrate who you are as well in terms of your attitude towards yourself. I can assure you that you have value, things to offer, you do things other people cannot do and you are the very best at being you. – Be yourself!

It takes a village to successfully network

What I mean by this is that contacts you already have will provide you with information that allows you to connect with others. This will help you engage in conversations and communicate better with new connections. No person is an island, utilise people you know, learn from them, and ask for feedback.

Drive, the Partnership Network has been this place for me.

What can hold you back

Mindset is key, when getting involved in networking start with what you want to achieve then ask others what they want and see if there is space to build something. People never stop talking about what they need. If you can tap into that you will network effectively because you will be able to help them find solutions for their problems.

Do not be the limit to your network

Research shows that we love to talk to people like us but unfortunately there is only a subset of the human population that are anything like us. If you are looking to network the chances are your skills and experience are going to be more useful to people that are nothing like you. Don’t be afraid because people are different they still breathe and have a pulse just like you.

Be proactive

You are not an impostor you have every right to share what you are doing and mix with others to find common ground. You need to accept no one knows what you know the way you know it, and no one will ever know it unless you interact and have real conversations with them. Also do not be afraid to ask for help there are a lot of people out there in a similar position who want to help and see you succeed.

Find allies and champions

Allies and champions are vital especially if you have got questions about things like, what is the value you bring?

These people will often know you best and can help you cement this value. They will also be the people that open doors for you and invite you to new places, and you will be able to support them. This is not an awkward thing to do, it just starts with a conversation

So do not be afraid to ask!

What do you think?

Do Nathan's tips apply to you? Do we all have our own quirks and insecurities around networking? What's your favourite tip?

If you would like some help please get in touch with Nathan.

This post was originally published on The Neurodivergent Coach blog.

by Ann Hawkins

Make your life a little bit brighter!

Who would have thought that your greatest guide in life could be a puppet?

When we're running a business, we can sometimes get stuck in a certain way of thinking.
A light hearted and playful approach can often get through negative barriers and encourage new ways of thinking.
When we're asked to predict what plans we have, options to take and decisions to make, we need to use our imagination.

Jo Bryant and The Hands On Company transform lives through creative puppetry and Jo has adapted the way she works to make this on-line workshop.

Please download the workbook and use the Sock Puppet or Origami Puppet instructions (or borrow a soft toy with a face) to enjoy the full effect of the workshop!

Make Your Life a little Brighter Workbook
Sock Puppet ideas
Origami Puppet instructions

Get inspired, motivated and focused to make the most of opportunities and build your business.

by Ann Hawkins

How to Network on LinkedIn

The key to networking on LinkedIn is to know what results you want.

Drive Founder Ann Hawkins has been using LinkedIn successfully since 2008.

She has 4,700 connections and over 5,000 followers.

Her profile is viewed approx 250 times a week and she regularly gets new clients from LinkedIn.

Why are you using LinkedIn? 

Are you looking to connect with potential clients, a peer group, get referrals, learn about a specific topic, show how much you know about a specific topic or something else? Keep your purpose in mind when you post, comment or like other posts.

Who will find you?

• If you want to get found by potential clients or collaborators check your profile. LinkedIn is a great search engine for people both on and off the site. If someone searches for what you do, will your profile appear in the search results? Make sure you're using the right keywords.
• Check your contact details. If you have a website, add it to the details.
• Have a good professional, business like photo that shows your eyes. It's the first stage of creating trust.

Who to connect with? 

There are endless debates about this and there is no right or wrong answer. You need to find what works for you and adjust your approach accordingly. Here are some things I've found work for me:

• Connect with people because you like them, want to learn from them, or because they have something interesting to say that doesn't turn into a sales pitch.
• Don't connect to give a sales pitch, connect to build relationships.
• If someone gives you a sales pitch seconds after connecting, remove the connection. Life's too short to be spammed.

How to behave

• If you're there to network, behave like you would in a face to face networking meeting. Don't pitch, have a conversation.
• Don't get sucked into arguments, disagreements, or click bait posts. IGNORE them.
• Don't get invoved in discussions with your peer group about how awful cleints are. There's no bigger turn-off for potential clients.
• DO get involved with people looking for answers or help and be relentlessly kind. Even if they don't turn into clients they're more likey to recommend you.
• Don't like a post that has a million other likes and comments - if you do it has no effect on the post but annoys the people who are following you who get notified every time you click 'like'. Be selective.
• If you don't have anything meaningful to add to the discussion keep quiet. Don't just add to the noise.
• Recognise that some people think causing disagreements is a good way to get attention. Don't get sucked in and don't do it yourself.
• Remember that more people are watching and listening than you will ever know. Always behave as though your ideal client is looking over your shoulder and watching how you interact with others.

What to post and how often

• How often you post depends on how much good content you can create. If you have a pile of great evergreen blog posts or articles you could post every day because no-one is likely to see them all.
• Posting to a self-imposed schedule when you have nothing interesting to say is not a good idea. Only post when you're sure you'll be adding something useful, interesting or helpful that your audience will enjoy.
• Try to avoid the cliched bandwagons of sporting events with a tenuous link to leadership or teamwork or similar over worked themes. Spurious links to national or religious holidays are also best avoided.

by Ann Hawkins

How to network on-line

Why is on-line networking different to face to face networking?

Answer: It isn't.

And yet, lots of people who would quite happily chat in a crowded room with a cup of coffee in their hand seem to struggle when that same conversation takes place on-line.

Our Drive Tribe networks on-line in our weekly check-ins, It's quite obvious that some people are much more comfortable with this than others and, lets face it, some just don't get it at all.

Why Bother?

First, why should we all strive to be better at this?

1. Because it’s nice. It makes you feel connected; it makes others feel connected; it creates a general increase in net good on the planet. Win.

2. You get support, great ideas that apply to your life and work, hell, you might even make friends, and it beats isolation hands down.

3. You might help someone else, sometimes in profound ways. This raises your spirits and it’s good to feel you have value.

4. When people feel you're interested in them, they're more likely to be interested in you.

5. The more the members of the network know about what you do and who you are, the more likely they will recommend you if someone they know needs your services/product.

6. This is a biggie. There are LOTS of potential clients on Linked\in. Many of them may never post anything but they lurk. They watch, they read and they notice. If you want to be noticed and make a favourable impression, this is the best, easiest, cheapest, most efficient way to get in front of a LOT of people. Seeing how you interact with others is a huge insight into the kind of person you are and your values. People buy you, not what you do, so this is a great opportunity to show who you really are.

Tips for Online Networking

1. Set aside a few minutes every week just to interact with the tribe. The last thing you want to do is post and run. That's kinda like breezing into a room and shouting "Hey folks, here I am!" spraying around a bunch of business cards and leaving before you talk to anyone.
2. Before you post your catch-up, ask yourself:
   Do I need support with something? If you do, stop being so uptight and just ask.
   Do I want congratulations? Its fine to brag a little - people need to hear good news!
   Do I want commiserations? Its good to keep things real. Not everything goes to plan and you can't get support if you pretend everything is OK when its not.
   Do I have an observation about my week that might be valuable to others?
   Is there anyone I want to thank publicly?

Read other people's posts and comments and talk to them like they were in the same room as you.
If their comment is funny say so, if its sad, offer some sympathy.
If you don't understand it, ask for more details.

Remember that you can make people feel good by acknowledging they're there and everyone loves people who make them feel good.

The first time someone shows up, welcome them and ask them something about themselves or their business. If their LinkedIn profile shows some happy connection between you and them, say it.

Oh, and yeah: Give a damn. People know when you care and when you're just putting it on, so be the person you'd most like to turn up when you need help.

by Ann Hawkins

Competition v Collaboration

"There's no point in me joining Drive. You already have a graphic designer."

Well hold the phone!

We actually have a galaxy of graphic designers (who's counting?)

We also have a dazzle of developers, a phalanx of photographers, a covey of copywriters, a colony of coaches, a marvel of marketers, a pod of product developers, a troop of trainers, a clutch of consultants, a wealth of website developers and, well ... you get the idea.

We have only one garden designer but we're working on that 🌻

Our members believe that collaboration is much more powerful than competition.

There may be rare occasions when they are truly in competition with each other - but not really.

They each have different areas of expertise, different skill sets, different experience. Most of all, they have different personalities.

Even if someone has the same skills, experience and expertise, no-one will do the job exactly like you - and its you that people buy. Right?

More often than not they share their experience with each other, expand their skills, and recommend and refer each other. By working in collaboration they are stronger together than on their own.

If you want to be part of a great collaborative network, check out our membership details and get in touch!

by Ann Hawkins

Influencer Marketing - how it can power your dreams!

Martyn Sibley has been an influencer most of his life.

• Update - August 2021: Martyn has just been appointed a LinkedIn Changemaker
  This is his opening statement: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/im-linkedin-changemaker-martyn-sibley/?trackingId=50DDtRrQTc%2BMgLRjocDQkg%3D%3D

He has inspired people by the way he lives his life, by the way he treats other people and by his amazing energy, sunny disposition, and achievements.

Martyn desribes himself as "a regular guy who happens to have a disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This means I cannot walk, lift anything heavier than a book or shower myself. Nonetheless I run Disability Horizons, am the author of 'Everything is Possible', I have a Degree in Economics & a Masters in Marketing. I love adventure travels (including an epic visit to Australia), I have great people in my life (including my soul mate), I drive my own adapted car, run my own business, have flown a plane, enjoyed skiing & SCUBA diving, and live independently on earth." He is also the very happy owner of a Golden Labrador called Sunny.

Just to meet Martyn is to feel inspired, happy, and joyful but he has a very serious mission: to make the world a truly inclusive place. This year - just about the time the lockdown started - Martyn launched Purple Goat, a marketing agency to help brands understand the needs and wants of the disabled community.

In this workshop, Martyn explains how he used the principles of Influencer Marketing to power his dream, and how you can use the same principles to power yours!

What you'll take away from this workshop:
- create content that your audience engage more with
- amplify your brand to your exact target audience
- get a better ROI from your marketing spend
- support freelancers and small businesses (Influencers aren't actually rich and famous and self promoting - they have a mission just like you)

by Ann Hawkins

How to get referrals

Want more referrals for your business? This is the best way to get them!

Alex: How do I get more referals for my business without spending a lot of time and money?

Sunni: Networking!

Alex: Hmmm … you mean breakfast meetings and elevator pitches?

Sunni:  No. I mean on-line networking groups. They’re bigger and faster.

Alex: So I should join a group and post links to my website and hope people will visit it?

Sunni: NO! Networking means getting to know people in the group. You comment on their posts, ask them questions, congratulate them when they're doing well, sympathise when they're not, have a laugh with them, be interested in what they do and who they are.

Alex: Sounds like its all about them and not about me.

Sunni: Exactly

Alex: Wait! What's this?

Sunni: It's a seagull. Seagulls swoop in on conversations, dump their message and leave - or worse - they only show up when there's something on offer that they want then they try and steal it. Don't be a seagull!

Alex: So if I can't just advertise what I do or pick up work on offer, how does that help me?

Sunni: This is all about building relationships. People love it when you’re interested in them first. They’ll think you’re a really genuine person and when you post something about what you’re doing, they’ll ask you about it. Its all about trust and knowing you're not going to dump on them or steal from them.

Alex: OK, I'm getting the idea. And then what?

Sunni: When people get to know you, and they like you and the work you do, they’ll be happy to refer clients to you.

Alex: Doesn’t that take a long time?

Sunni:  Not if you’re talking to 100s of people at the same time.

Alex: WHAT?!

Sunni: In a group with several hundred members only a few will actively engage with you but the rest watch and see how you interact, see what you do, get to know your talents, your values, your personality and that you’re a trusted person, so referrals come from them too.

Alex: No business cards? No elevator pitches? No kickbacks?

Sunni: No. Just conversations with people you probably end up making friends with.

Alex: Wow. How do I get started?

Sunni: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3143015/

by Ann Hawkins

Let's talk about podcasting

Have you met anyone lately who didn't have a podcast?

With the rise of popularity you may be tempted to get into podcasting.

There is a bewildering array of tools to choose from and many other questions to answer!

Berenice Smith, a graphic designer at Hello Lovely Design, helped set up and produce The Full Stop podcast and answered questions about the tech, equipment, design, guests, and more!

The basics - time money and skills!

Ann Hawkins What's the range of skills and the time and financial commitment needed to make a consistently good podcast?

Berenice Smith I work with two other presenters so getting a good mix of speech and tone is important as is listening skills, empathy, knowing the audience, contacts, branding, and social media.

Technically we needed to research the different platforms and what an RSS is and does. It is useful to know about audio editing though apps like Headliner and Podbean make that relatively easy.  A workflow helps as well. The website is set up to do most of the hard work when the episode goes live. It's the organising that takes time - the right guests, getting them and us together (this week we recorded across 3 continents!)

Topics - I was told that most podcasts end at 8 episodes as the material runs dry and time is an issue. We’re at episode 14 and have the rest of the themes planned out for the year and beyond, it’s never-ending but in some areas - even design - that might be tricky so pacing the content and making it useful matter. But it does take a lot of time even with three of us sharing the load - more than we anticipated and as we’ve become more known, those demands are increasing.

Finance - At the moment we ask for donations. For us, there’s a big ethical thing around asking for money from this demographic but as I said earlier, we have plans for Patreon or crowdfunding that I’m happy to talk about elsewhere. We have listed all those costs so we can keep a record like a business so that if we are in the position of seeking funding or changing the model we have this to hand. That’s really important. Prepare for growth from the start.

The key thing for me was going for it. I joined a lot of podcast groups on Facebook and oh my, it was all rather geeky! It's easy to get hung up on tech but if you have a solid plan then try it out and see where it goes. Pod bean is free for about 3 hours I think so that's enough to do some short pieces and take it from there. See what happens!

We expected about 100 listeners given we hadn't considered paying for advertising (we never have) so anything over that has been a bonus and we're way beyond that now but to help one person alone is enough.

We are all podcast listeners too. That was important, we know what others do and are getting an ear for what works and what doesn't!

Q. How far ahead are you planning typically?

Berenice Smith We typically block in events and some, like Mother's Day, Christmas etc require extra care but sometime we have to shuffle around because of a newsworthy item so we try to have some flex. We tend to have the next three episodes in mind and one canned in case we need it - often that's from a previous podcast so we get a break. Some shuffles happen because we're getting guests from across different time zones too!

Is a podcast right for your business?

Q. Can you tell us how you decided that a podcast was right for your project/business and was likely to give you a return on that work?

Berenice Smith We started the podcast after we drew up a proposal for the BBC Rachel Bland award. It was during that research that we realised that there wasn’t a podcast for our niche. So much like a business plan really

Probably the thing to say here is that this is a podcast about involuntary childlessness so there isn’t a direct link to my business, more to me. Although I work with a very wide demographic I also work with men and women who want an empathic designer in this area so it’s been a benefit I’ve not realised before. It’s allowed people to get to know me (something that Ann Hawkins said in the 6 Steps Programme was what would make someone chose between me or another designer is down to personality so it's been an indirect benefit!)

This is the podcast I co-present so you can get a feel for what we've done.

THEFULLSTOPPOD.COM

However,  I’m hoping to set up a creative podcast at some point soon (if anyone is interested!)

Helen Lindop What are the benefits of a podcast compared to say a YouTube channel, or blog?

Berenice Smith I’ve not really experimented with YouTube but I would say it’s about our comfort and that of guests. We record on Zoom but it’s amazing how sitting in your home knowing that there won’t be any video can make a safe space. We do have a blog and a newsletter. We send out a newsletter to our subscribers when the episode goes up and then a few days later we go public and then share some of the newsletter content. Our open stat averages 70% and the clicks around 60%.

Q. Do you do the editing and uploading yourselves or outsource it?

Berenice Smith We do it all ourselves. There’s loads of software from Garageband to Adobe Audition, and sites that can do this such as Headliner (which we use on the free version for audiograms). We’re really lucky that Michael (one of the co-presenters) loves the audio editing and has had media training, I’m happy with social media, running the website and seeking out opportunities to increase our reach and Sarah is a great writer for our blog so we all bring varied skills.

Attracting listeners

Q. How to you get subscribers/listeners?

Berenice Smith Being social. We've currently got 2.8k listeners over all time and we're fortunate that our community is incredibly committed. Presenters and guests are important. We started with published authors who did well with social media to bring in traffic and we intersperse guests like Bibi Lynch and Susan Muir (look up Suzy and the Simple Man, she’s incredible) with stories from new names, less established to give balance and humanity.

Spotify is in beta at the moment for podcasts so that took a bit of time to sort out, but we're doing well on Apple, and Podbean is great. We've recently launched on Stitcher so we're always checking the platforms and asking our listeners. We've recently added in a community news and a toolkit of resources.

There's a new Google podcasts app too.

It's really hard for us to get reviews in this field as people have the right to privacy but encouraging reviews especially on Apple, really bumps it up along with all the benefit that reviews bring.

Standing out in the crowd

Q. I'm thinking of starting a podcast about being a copywriter - but there are already a lot of people doing it; is it worth creating a podcast with so many discussing similar topics, and if yes how could it stand out?

Berenice Smith I think research really important - there are lots of podcasts that cross over so we do have others with similar aims (the more the better to be honest when it comes to mental health but it’s good to have a niche). For example we found that there were very few men talking about mental health and grief so our male presenter is very important. The other female presenter is a coach and training to be a counsellor so she brings a lot of ethics and fantastic questions.

We also engage with other podcasts so we’re appearing on a podcast in USA very shortly and the person who founded that has just recorded an episode with us. The collaboration really works if you can find the subtle differences.  Also, if you decided to collaborate with others, the team dynamic has been important for us so whilst your subject matter might be similar, maybe there’s a collaboration that makes it unique.

Branding

Branding is really important too - I've seen so many podcasts with covers that are illegible, so our brand is very strong and personal and it has reach. A good website and all those important design rules matter.

Q. I hadn't thought about the importance of having a good mix of presenters, great point.

Q. Did you have an exact idea about what you wanted it to be like? e.g. is it scripted?

Berenice Smith We really have no script! We do script the intro, middle part and ending so it’s topped and tailed by website and social media though and we always research the guests.

As for the what we wanted to be like - we had key words - empathy, funny, sweary and human. We’ve been told that the biggest draw is us as team and that we do laugh. That’s so important with difficult subjects that can been uncomfortable and we’re all about building bridges so it’s for all (hence the name not really alluding to the subject matter). But we do edit so that each episode usually started with one of us digressing or laughing to set the tone. We’ve had tears - especially over one specific one on mental health - which has increased our audience.

Q. That's interesting. I tried without a script and waffled too much

Berenice Smith I have had to record a few pieces on my own and oh yes... I'm terrible. As we're presenting as a team we tend to have hand signals for waffle alerts or we'll ping a message to each other but I empathise completely!

Who are ideal guests?

Q. What are you looking for in a guest?

Berenice Smith I love that you love being a guest, me too! Oddly it's not about the tech - guests get worried about not having a recording studio but in the main, a pair of headphones and a quiet room is fine.

Someone who is relaxed, not over promoting and has something valuable to share, is engaged with us already as a follower and has listened to the podcast. There’s a lot of the ethos of Drive about how we approach the social media so it’s all about supportiveness not sales. Subtle :D

Find our more about Berenice at Hello Lovely Design and on Twitter @hihellolovely

Find out more about The Full Stop Podcast at TheFullStopPod and on Twitter @TheFullStop1

Berenice is also a finalist in the Digital Women Awards and has been selected as one of the 40 women to watch!

by Ann Hawkins