Great networkers

What are the characteristics of a great networker?

I ask people who come onto my courses, how they would finish off the sentence: "Great Networkers..."

Below are some of their replies 

Great Networkers

• Are great listeners who can chat intelligently about everything and nothing
• Make you feel at ease and show genuine interest in you
• Mingle
• Are memorable
• Help other networkers to make it a success for all
• Put others at ease
• Are cheery; are interested in others; smile
• Don't make it feel like networking
• Net-work
• Really enjoy meeting other people
• Listen and relate
• Make people want to talk to them
• Can talk about a variety of topics with ease
• Are confident and communicate well. They are good at 'breaking the ice'
• Are friendly and make a person feel included
• Communicate well
• Have good communication skills
• Are confident, outgoing, exuberant people; warm, empathetic, polite
• Enjoy networking
• Are people people
• Are more interested in who they are talking to than in themselves
• Communicate with others and share knowledge with other people
• Listen, learn and relate
• Give the impression that they are always really pleased to meet the person they are talking to
• Never forget your name
• Frequently call to catch up on news
• Go the extra mile
• Like to see you succeed
• Want to be a party to your success
• Do not realise they are networking
• Gain from giving
• Have a passion for helping people reach their goals and potential
• Are great communicators
• Listen acutely for possible connections
• Have the attitude that ‘what goes around comes around’
• Have an attitude of abundance (ie there is plenty of work/opportunities for everyone)
• Are open and helpful to others.  They are not self-seeking.  They share information freely and forge links that are mutually beneficial.  They are good communicators who recognise that a network is built up of two-way streets
• Are confident speakers and good listeners
• Are people who make you remember them by having talked on interesting topics
• Have a little bit in common with a lot of people and something of use to each of them
• Are able to communicate their genuine interest in you
• Are prepared, and work at focusing on what they want and can give
• Always have a smile to give
• Build rapport, trust, relationships
• Are interested in people
• Do their homework
• Are confident, open, good speakers
• Listen
• Are approachable
• Are charming, interested, open, warm
• Encourage people to talk about themselves
• Are interesting, good listeners, confident, open  
• Make others feel comfortable with who they are
• Pay attention to others
• Look you in the eye
• Talk and listen to lots of people over time
• Are sociable, good listeners, good conversationalists  
• Make other people feel interesting
• Prepare  
• Practise
• Really enjoy relating to people
• Believe that the key is building relationships
• Come across as enjoying people contact
• Make me feel comfortable while talking to them
• Make an impact
• Tell great short stories
• Listen actively
• Have high energy levels
• Make the effort to find a desirable outcome
•  Make the other person feel comfortable