Networking is highly relevant for me as a musician because of the precarious nature of the music and media industry. Fiona McDonald defines networking as a manner of connecting with people for social or business related reasons. This manner is mainly driven by mental preparation, confidence, empathy, humbleness, persuasion and expressing a positive image through non-verbal communication. This may sound easy but practicing it is another story!
On Sunday, the 13th of April 2008, my father decided to snatch me from my activities at home to visit a family friend. As usual, he did not want to tell me about the occasion we were to attend. A corporate minded person would think that I was a fan of Shrek because my entire outfit was lime green! My father, of course, had no problem with the way I dressed. He then ingeniously decided to tell me that we were attending a dinner party for the FEPACI (the Pan African Federation of Film Workers) members when we arrived at the gate. I began feeling a bit under-dressed for the occasion but then decided to just be myself instead of letting my insecurities crowd my confidence. The outcome of the situation was that I was surrounded by high profile, yet humble people.
If I did the mental preparation for projecting a controlled image of myself, I may not have had a natural experience of networking that forced me to be myself. Maganthrie of www.input2008.org.za is such a humble and intelligent woman who did not make me feel inferior to her. I then had an enlightening conversation with Hlengiwe Vilakati of www.khomanimedia.co.za .
Shameen Naidu would agree that this manner of networking requires emotional intelligence. A relationship based on emotional connection, giving and advocacy is established where both parties feel that they can have an effective interdependent relationship. In an environment of creative workers, my experience taught me that there should not be a step by step method of networking. Roy Blumenthal would say that the creative thinking hat will free us at any pressurizing situation that requires improvisation.
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