Return on Experience: Is Networking Your Purpose?

Networking is one of the lowest-hanging fruits of Event Design, which makes the temptation hard to resist. But do the immediate and delayed results of networking create the results if your organizational purpose goes beyond the potential outcomes of a networking session?

Networking can leave some “on the outside”

I’ve worked with colleagues and clients for 30 years to host purpose-driven experiences. Events often start with a BIG idea to inspire change but fall short. Why? It’s hard to design human experiences that bring about shifts in behavior. So, we tend to gravitate toward familiar activities that provide a sense of group engagement and progress. Networking is a leading choice when hosting an event. Networking is simple to arrange and inexpensive to deliver. With a room, endless drinks, a few tasty treats, and some music, networking is a golden ticket offer. Or is it? 

Networking events or sessions enable professionals to connect with other professionals. However, participants build new connections based on variable interpersonal skills and personality types. Our high “I” (Storytellers based on DISC assessment) clients LOVE to host networking events. They ride high on seeing a room of people milling about, laughing, leaning into a conversation because the music is just a touch too loud, and appetizers disappearing at an alarming rate, not to mention intoxicating beverages lubricating the conversations.

We use a three-pronged model to design experiences. Build Knowledge, Build Social Capital, Build Collective Wisdom. We adopted this model from the fabulous “Jon Berghoff” of XChange. We focus on purposefully guiding each element for client events to ensure ROE (Return on Experience - the ROI of the event world). An experience may not lend equal time to each, but including and relating each aspect provides a structure to achieve robust immediate and long-term goals. 

Suppose you aim to build specific knowledge, feature and connect thought leaders, and create a shared mental model of moving a cause, a business, an organization, or a community forward. Networking individuals left to their own time and tendencies will make little progress. At best, the progress will be for individuals more than your organization. That may be okay if that is your organizational purpose. 

Are you ready to build an event that enables GROWTH? PM me to learn how the team at MYNDDSET can help.