The Science of Trust
In 2012, an Italian research team from the University of Florence discovered in a study that our brain is equipped with a special kind of "toolbox" for assessing trustworthiness. Throughout human evolution, this ability has been valuable for quickly distinguishing friend from foe.
It's understandable that this ability minimizes risks - but it must also be said that this behavior simultaneously makes certain opportunities in life inaccessible to us.
Learning from Marketing
Marketing experts have long recognized this. Until a few years ago, it was relevant in marketing to classify customers according to their behavior. This led to different customers being offered different products with different prices or consultation intensities. Today, we know that the Porsche driver also shops at Aldi. This means that we humans do not react according to a fixed pattern, but decide to spend more money in one area of life while consciously being price-conscious in another.
What does this mean for you?
When it comes to networking, building relationships with new, unknown people - be it professionally or privately - you should not rely solely on your previous experiences and "pigeonholes". Be open to new things! This openness leads to creativity, expands your horizon, and brings you into contact with exciting people you wouldn't have met otherwise.
An Experience from Practice
I once had a particularly memorable experience in a multi-day seminar. We sat together and played a game. None of us knew each other. The task was to estimate which car each participant drives - and to justify the decision. Here, prejudices, personal experiences, and clichés became particularly clear. In 80% of cases, the estimates were off.
This attitude - conscious or unconscious - "I know everything about you and your topic" prevents relationship opportunities. Therefore: Be open and unprejudiced!
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
This is what Steve Jobs called out to Stanford graduates in his legendary 2005 speech. "Be hungry, be foolish"
Applied to your networking behavior, this means: Be relationship-hungry and curious. Be daring and brave. Don't let your supposed experiences and prejudices block you from building great relationships and meeting new people. Let yourself be surprised!
Network Actively - It's Worth It!
Uwe Steinweh, Coach. Speaker. Networker
Author of the standard work for successful B2B networking: NETWORKING - The Success Factor for More Business: How to Build Top Contacts with Active Networking and Strategically Advance Your Business