Your music career is going to thrive on the power of your network.
How do you become a champion networker?
I’ve distilled the essentials of powerful networking into the 4 C’s
- Confidence
- Curiosity
- Clarity
- Consistency
How does it work? Let’s have a look….
CONFIDENCE
I promise I’m not going to tell you to pose like a super hero in the bathroom before meeting people (of course, if it helps, why not?)
By using the word confidence, I am not referring to arrogance, boastfulness, or a feeling of superiority to others.
I simply mean that you believe that all people are equally valuable to our collective whole.
Whatever circumstance you find yourself in, you feel yourself to be the equal to any other person in the room.
If you truly believe that everyone has a story, has something to give, and has something unique to contribute, there is no reason to be intimidated by anyone’s talent or position.
You can greatly admire the work and talents of others and still believe that you bring something unique to the table as well and you are worthy of their time.
Exercise: A Radical Idea of Confidence: Equality
- Imagine them asking you the same questions in return
- Imagine yourself in a room with all the people in the world you most admire
- Imagine asking them each a few questions about their work and motivations
CURIOSITY
We often picture talented networkers as sliding smoothly from one conversation to another, oozing charm and impressing everyone around them.
From my close observations, I have found that the best networkers are usually quite different from this stereotype. They all do share the common factor of being intensely curious about other people.
They are highly motivated to learn about other people’s passions, concerns, and life stories. They want to understand and connect with others on a human level.
Fantastic networkers draw other people out and learn what makes them tick.
If this doesn’t come naturally to you, you simply need to tap into your natural curiosity. We all have it!
Exercise: Tapping Into Curiosity
- Write a follow-up question you might ask to each of these statements
- “I used to be a musician but now I use my creativity in other ways.”
- “It’s been a difficult year with a lot of changes at my organization.”
- “I see my role as a facilitator, allowing others to do their best work.”
CLARITY
You’ll recognize a successful networking interaction when you feel a spark of recognition with another person or group of people. You have found some common ground in your goals, passions, and outlook.
Half of the secret to creating that spark is the curiosity about others that I mentioned above.
The other half is allowing others to get to know you – especially the parts of you that are most passionate about your art.
Many amazing networkers have a short origin story. This describes how their passions and drive led them to where they are today and continues to fuel their work.
In order to share with others the core of your motivations for your work, it must be completely clear to you.
You also need a succinct and practiced way to convey this to others that a wide audience can easily grasp and understand.
Exercise: My Origin Story
- Write out in 2-3 sentences about the path that led you to your passion and what continues to motivate you today. Examples:
- Ever since I was a little kid, I couldn’t stop moving. I loved to move, create, run, and express myself and I was no good at all at sitting still in school. Once I learned to channel that energy into dance, I never looked back.
- The first time I volunteered to perform at a homeless shelter, I was so moved by the appreciation and attention of the people I was serving. I felt I was truly connecting and giving to others in a tangible way. That has become a big part of my life as a performer and a person.
- When I was working as a composer I discovered how to bring together many organizations to create a commission that allowed a new piece to be born. I found that my true passion lay in connecting different communities and being part of the engine that creates new art. I transitioned into the administration side of orchestras and I love what I do.
CONSISTENCY
Life gets away from us all and networking can seem like a luxury item on our to-do list.
Networking for your career is like that beautiful plant that brings you cheer when it blooms in the spring – you have to water it all year long!
There are two parts to maintaining consistency:
- Understanding the importance of the practice
- Making it a habit
First, you need to be convinced that networking will make a difference. Sometimes this is harder to see in our own path but it can help to see when it works for others.
How many times have you seen someone hired because they knew someone on the committee? How many times have you seen a group booked because the bookers had already heard about them from a colleague? How many times have you seen an artist land a new collaboration that helped their career to soar?
Part 2 is making networking a habit. How can you integrate keeping in touch and growing your network into the work you already do?
Exercise: Habit Stacking
- Where is a time or a place where you come in contact with colleagues and others in your industry?
- Write a list of ways you can use this opportunity to
- Spend more quality time connecting with those colleagues and acquaintances
- Share goals and dreams with those who could be potential collaborators
- Ask for and share introductions in your mutual networks
With these key elements –
- Confidence
- Curiosity
- Clarity
- Consistency
Anyone can become a world champion networker!
Try the exercises above and start reaping the rewards of fantastic networking.
