What are some cool networking and public speakers like? 5 qualities to be envied

Speaking to strangers, trying to captivate them with their ideas - for many this is a difficult task. It’s scary, the horror - “what will they think”, “it is indecent”, “what I will tell them”. But there are Sensei who, on the move, perfectly find a common language with a variety of people and interestingly speak to any audience. One of these masters is Irina Tripapina, Head of International Development at MyTarget. Thanks to her talent, very large clients from several countries came to myTarget. Under the cutscene - tips and interviews with Irina, in which she talks about the main qualities that help to speak and engage people. We give her the floor.

Every two months I speak at international conferences: in China, Spain, the USA, Singapore, France, Germany. My task is to interest the creators of foreign applications in the Russian market and help them conquer the market through Mail.Ru Group products.

Imagine: 100,000 people come from all over the world to Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress. 100,000 different ideas and tasks, 100,000 new meetings ignite the city in these three days. Everyone has the chance to meet Mark Zuckerberg, arrange an interview at Amazon, or sell their Google product. But why did that guy leave the conference empty-handed, and this one with a job offer, new partners and Satya Nadella as friends on Facebook? What makes these awesome speakers and networking so good?

1. The order in the head

They clearly see their goals and objectives. They know what they are experts in, and where you need to pump. Understand who can help them achieve their goals and what to offer in return. This gives everything they talk about structurally and clearly. At a conference in Barcelona, ​​I witnessed the conclusion of a deal in an elevator: in 60 seconds, unknown startups managed to recognize an eBay employee by badge, talk about the problems that their product solves, and agree on cooperation.

It helps me: compilation of mind-maps, SMART goal-setting approach, MoSCoW prioritization method , Eisenhower matrix

Book: “Number 1: How to Become the Best at What You Do,” Igor Mann.

2. Passion

Love for work and product cannot be faked. If real, it is easily transmitted by airborne droplets, instantly reviving everything around. Have you ever heard Mark Zuckerberg talk about writing code? This is magic, gleam in the eyes, faith in the future. You can excite, ignite the audience with GOSTs for software development, or you can lull it with the prospects of artificial intelligence. The question is what drives the speaker himself.

It helps me: compiling lists of what I love and know how, inspiring people around, reading, trial and error.

Book: “Your Destiny,” Robert Stephen Kaplan.

3. Courage

My acquaintance from the Dublin office of Google is a typical introvert. When he appears on stage, he immediately admits: this is his nightmare, and perhaps he will soon faint. He instantly gains the sympathy of the audience: people like to think that someone is more nervous than them and is not afraid to admit it. Cool speakers and networkers understand that only the first step is terrible. Each scene or a new acquaintance - like a parachute jump - first a heart in the heels, and then a buzz from new emotions, a bunch of photos on Facebook and the envy of friends. Only in the first case is the risk of breaking legs much less.

It helps me: training and rehearsals, sports, breathing techniques, the idea that the audience is filled with friends (it doesn’t work if you don’t have friends).

Book: “How to Talk with Anyone, Anywhere, and Anything,” Larry King.

4. Ability to get out of one’s head

It seems that they are less nervous and afraid of nothing, because during the distribution of charisma and charm, they were the first in line. Perhaps, but not only because. When we worry, we are focused on ourselves: how we look, how we speak, how we move. A good speaker and networker focuses on the audience, on how to help her. Great tools for this are eye contact, audience questions in the audience. But the main thing is the transfer of internal attention. To see the interlocutor, and not just look at him. Hear, not just listen.

It helps me: the development of emotional intelligence, acting techniques, meditation, exercises to develop mindfulness.

Books: “Emotional Intelligence. Why it can mean more than IQ, ”Daniel Goleman. “Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world ”, Mark Williams and Denny Penman.

5. The desire to give

There are many ways to be useful: share an insider, an article, introduce the right person, tell how to hack Emma Watson’s Instagram. Most often, a good relationship is much more profitable than a one-time deal. At my first conference in London, I met with the Amazon evangelist. After a short conversation, he asked: “What are your tasks at the conference? How can I help you?" My mention of any company, he said "Oh, I can introduce you to them" and introduced me to the right person. When I asked how he knew all these people, he said: “Networking is like putting together a puzzle. Each person is a piece of the picture, and most of the people are looking for pieces that are specifically suited to them. Limited to the area around you. I like to bring people together, to collect puzzles in different corners of the picture.

It helps me: the implementation of the previous 4 points.

Book: “Never Eat Alone Other Networking Rules,” Kate Ferrazzi, Tal Rez.

By the way, these are absolutely international features that I notice equally in the Chinese, the Americans, and the Russians. You do not have to be a good networker or speaker to possess these qualities. But, developing them, you will inevitably become more confident, happier and, possibly, get rich on those very pictures of Emma Watson.

Last bonus: in this video I tell you what kind of parties Google hosts with Facebook, how to get to know people at them and what needs to be done to win a prize from Mail.Ru Group.