There were a few occasions during my trip to Atlanta where I had made great connections while I was traveling.
One I can vividly remember is a hair conversation I had with the TSA agent. She started with a pat down, which lead to hair breakthroughs and ended with a hug. We genuinely bonded over our natural hair experience but I didn’t pick up on the cues.
I was so into what I was saying that I missed several opportunities for us to develop the relationship.
At one point, she even mentioned wishing she had met me earlier in my travels so that we could have connected further over tea.
That was my opportunity!
I should have used that platform, I should have given her my business card so that we could keep in touch! I should have sealed her impression of me with an opportunity to stay in contact.
But I didn’t.
In networking, you may experience missed moments and opportunities. I have missed many!
But it’s all in the preparation. My ability to look back, reflect on what happened and develop a plan of action for the next time is valuable knowledge.
Don’t stay stuck in the should of, could of phase of a situation.
See the bigger picture, develop your plan for next time and always be prepared.
Avoid missing an opportunity because you weren’t ready. Don’t forget your cards!