Meeting for an impersonal and depreciating coffee.
I am prone to drinking the odd coffee, but a recent meeting made me reflect on this a little. Someone (nameless) asked for a catch up over a coffee, duly arranged by my office we met and shared 30 minutes over a coffee, before I made my excuses, unusually – let me explain … “What do you do?” they asked, “Sorry? You requested a meeting with me, but you don’t know what I do, what was it that prompted you to request a meeting?” I ask. “Oh people told me you knew a lot of people and I thought you might help me to market my…. (withheld)”.
Interesting approach, you take no time to investigate what I do, you expect me to help you even though I have no idea of your credibility and whilst I agree that it is good to have strategy to drive your networking, the central premise is to value others time, their expertise, to share and reciprocate with their networks too – time to go, cheque please!
