Most weeks you’ll find dozens of networking events around Detroit where gather at restaurants and hotels, put on name tags, and talk to each other about synergies.
“It’s best when you network with lots of people,” says Troy attorney Janine Turnquist, 38, “but sometimes you end up spending the whole night with one guy talking about pre-conceptual strategies.”
To avoid such a scenario, in 2016 she started Speed Networking. Participants have exactly 44 seconds to talk to someone before moving on. That, says Turnquist, is plenty of time to ascertain core competencies, key assets, and much more.
It’s simple: You pick a partner, the buzzer goes off, and in 44 seconds it goes off again and you pick another partner. It’s important to make the most of the time in between, and Turnquist recommends these four topics:
- Discuss in terms of inches and feet how far you’re ahead of the power curve, the learning curve, and any ancillary curves?
- When benchmarking best practices, do listen to music? Describe.
- What would cause you to push the panic button? Would you prefer to blow the panic whistle?
- Talk about your experiences with the pomegranate.
The next speed networking night will be held at 5:30 PM on March 11 at Montegue’s – the Midtown gastro-pub specializing in farm-to-stove-to-chair-to-table cuisine and banana-based cocktails.
