Page 189 - ConvinceThemFlip

open the lines of communication
Don’t let your
inhibi tions prevent you
from meeting people.
Count to three then
introduce yourself.
The Three-Second Rule
In a perfect world there would always be someone avail-
able to make the introduction and a familiar, emotionally
comfortable space within which to interact—a meeting,
a lunch, a networking group, a fund-raiser, or a class.
Researchers call these set-
tings “closed fields.” They
are a place where every-
one has the opportunity to
meet others and the expec-
tation that they’ll do so.
Meeting people in a com-
fortable closed field, with
an introduction from a mutual acquaintance, gives you an
automatic conversational opening, even if it’s as simple
as “How do you know Bob?” or “How did you get involved
with this project?” It also makes it more likely that you
will share interests, values, and tastes, enabling you to
establish rapport quickly and effectively.
There are bound to be times, though, when you see
someone you’d like to meet in an open field, like a conven-
tion, a product knowledge session, an executive lounge,
or aboard a commuter train. For most of us, this can be
a daunting situation. After all, from the earliest age our
parents told us never to talk to strangers, and the mere
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