Approaching someone you do not know and starting a conversation can be daunting, panelists at the Oct. 16 inaugural event of the 2017-2018 Women’s Leadership Series agreed, but each has ways of dealing with what panelist Charmaine Solomon described as “social anxiety.”
“Remember that everyone in the room is feeling the same way,” Solomon said, “but the more times you approach someone, the easier it becomes. And I suggest you take notes. I write something on the back of every business card I receive that will help me remember that person.”
More than 100 attendees were on hand for the discussion, “Leveraging the Power of Your Network for Good,” which was hosted by the Executive MBA Programs at the Naveen Jindal School of Management.
Solomon, founder and chairman of My Possibilities, a continuing education program for adults with special needs, and a BS’01 in interdisciplinary studies graduate of UT Dallas, was joined on the panel by:
- Rosemary Aguilar, EMBA’02, director of the Infinity Project, a national engineering education program at Southern Methodist University;
- Dr. Marguerite McClinton Stoglin, MBA’99, Texas director of IGNITE, a nonpartisan organization that encourages young women to run for political office; and
- DeDe McGuire, radio show host of “DeDe in the Morning,” K104 radio in Dallas.
Shari Hicks, EMBA’11, assistant vice president of corporate banking for event sponsor Frost Bank, moderated.
Not being afraid to fail is essential to networking, said Stoglin. “If you try to talk with someone and it doesn’t seem to be working, it’s OK to move on.”
Shortly after she moved to Dallas and started working for a technology company, Aguilar said, she connected with an individual at Texas Instruments who became her mentor. Later, that same person was responsible for bringing Aguilar to her current position at SMU. “Every career change I’ve made happened through networking,” she said.
Other recommendations from the panel included:
- Take the initiative to build your network by reaching out to others. “I work in an industry with incredible women,” McGuire said. “I want to be around them, so I started doing things to help make that happen. We started by getting together for a ladies’ dinner, and now we try to get together every three months.”
- Making eye contact with someone in the room who seems to be in the same situation she is makes it easier for Aguilar to approach an individual she does not know and introduce herself.
- “Never underestimate the importance of a thank-you note,” said Stoglin. “I got the job I have now because I was the only one they interviewed who sent a thank-you note afterward. A phone call is a good way to reach out as well, or arrange a 30-minute meet-and-greet.”
- Networking is a good way to find a mentor or a sponsor, and it is important to know the difference, Solomon said. “A mentor helps you grow. They’re invested in you. A sponsor is more casual, but if you need help later, they may be able to help you.”
