Anxiety is one of the great mental health scourges of our society, and one that afflicts all walks of life. Whether you are at the bottom rung of society trying to work your way up or a well-paid entrepreneur, anxiety can impact anybody. For some jobs this is something that can be worked around, but if you’re out there trying to get your business off the ground it can hamper your ability to perform that most essential of business tasks – networking.
So just how do you go about forming social networks if social anxiety is getting in your way? We’ve put together a guide intended to help you work around the challenging nature of such a condition and be successful in spite of it.
Exploit the Digital Realm
One path to take when you’re just starting out is to exploit the digital realm. Technology allows you to start building relationships without having to deal with a face to face meeting. While in person functions are always the best approach for networking, using digital technologies can be a useful start. Finding online communities where people within your profession gather can give you a forum to get your ideas out and help you to get to know some of the movers and shakers within your group.
Eventually, those online connections can be turned into real world connections. Keeping in touch with people through apps like Covve and setting reminders can help keep that relationship alive.
Realistically Assess the Worst-Case Scenario
Social anxiety can often cause us to inflate just how bad rejection or negative results from social interactions can really be. This sort of inflation can make us decide against risking an interaction due to the ‘horrible’ results that could come from it. As such, a realistic assessment of the worst-case scenario can help put those fears to rest. Take a few moments to step back and logically think through the worst-case scenario in a given social interaction.
Now, speak those consequences out loud to yourself. When you take a moment to really listen to what can happen and what you’re afraid of you’ll generally recognize that, at the very least, the worst thing that can happen is some minor embarrassment.
Network with a Wingman
When you go out networking bring a friend along. Falling into the trap of always talking to your friend and never associating with somebody else is counter-productive, but that ally can help to break the ice in a social setting. This wingman can help you with introductions or even help boost your confidence when going up to meet people. The person you bring with you can be a close friend or even a colleague.
It can also be of benefit for the person you bring along as they will have the opportunity to meet people they would not have met had you not extended the invitation. As such there is mutual benefit to extending the invitation. If your first choice does not accept, feel free to seek out another! This can be difficult since if you suffer from social anxiety you might not have somebody to invite in the first place or be worried about extending the invitation, but just remember – the worst they can do is say no.
Practice Practice Practice
One of the hardest parts about dealing with anxiety is the notion that it’s just something you have to push past. No matter what you do, it will always be there, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to live with it. Practice can help you establish routines and get used to networking even while suffering from anxiety. Establishing set routines, patterns, and other behaviours can help boost confidence where you would otherwise be lacking.
Remember – you can’t fix anxiety by ignoring it or avoiding it, but you can learn to work around it and, eventually, live with it.
