Networking - Asian Indian Style

I just came back from a networking event organized by the Gujarati Samaj of Greater Detroit (GSOD) at the Radisson in Livonia, and I thought it was time to post a blog on the topic of networking. (No, I'm not talking about computer networking, I'm talking about 'business networking')

I'm a power networker, I love to meet people, talk to them, learn more about them, share more about myself, you get the idea. When I meet someone, I like to find out how I can connect that person to someone in my network so that they can benefit from a connection.

Now networking is not necessarily an art but I find that we Asian Indians do business networking the same way we do social networking. We gravitate towards the ones we know and try to stay away from the ones whom we don't know.

Today's event had about 6-7 women and the rest were men. I made it a point to walk up and introduce myself to almost everyone that was there. I however noticed that two of the women didn't network the way I did. They met a couple of people and then went and sat down at a table, together, so that they had at least each other to talk to.

Now I met a few old friends there and perhaps because as a seasoned business woman (;0), I am extremely confident and comfortable walking up to a male and introducing myself. But many Asian Indian women, in a social or business setting, are not as comfortable (and I noted this again first hand today). But perhaps neither are the men. None of the other participants walked up to the two women to introduce themselves to them.

Now why is that? Is it our social background that puts a barrier in front of us that prevents us from equal opportunity 'business' networking? Or is it that we think the other will approach and so we wait for them? Or is it that we are comfortable in our age old segregation traditions where men sit with men and women hang out with women?

I for one think that in business, being shy, being introverted, staying away from the male majority, and not being able to network across the room puts women at an additional disadvantage.

I have also noticed at non-Asian Indian events that when an Asian Indian spots another Asian Indian, they generally tend to ignore or avoid each other unless they are prior acquaintances. Asian men will generally introduce themselves to other Asian men. Asian women will sometimes ignore other Asian Indian women. And cross gender networking within our community is obviously a big challenge because more often than not it just doesn't happen, period.

I on the other hand, deliberately walk up to others, regardless of their gender, and say something like "Hello, I never miss the opportunity to meet / introduce myself / get to know another Asian Indian". And once I do that, the other individual always reciprocates warmly. But the first approach if missed, results in missed networking opportunity for both.

Nine times out of 10, I approach the other Asian Indian individual/s in the room. But I hope to change that with my Asian Indian advocacy that I've undertaken with the Michigan India Chamber of Commerce (www.miicc.com).

I want to get to know you and I want you to get to know other Asian Indians. That means that I want each of us to take a look at our networking approach closely when we find ourselves in a room with other Asian Indians.

And the next time you are out there networking and when see another Asian Indian, don't avoid or ignore that person or wait for him or her to approach you. Take the first step, demonstrate your networking savvy, and be a change agent to network more effectively with other Asian Indians.

Networking is the key to grow professionally and personally so don't lose the opportunity!

Please check the Michigan India Chamber of Commerce (http://www.miicc.com) for future networking opportunities and look for a related blog on (http://www.miicc.com/blog)about the GSOD event.

Nipa is a technology expert with more than 18 years of experience in the automotive industry and calls herself the 'serial entrepreneur'. She is the owner of an online marketing company and recently launched a blog portal called http://www.thebloogle.com. More about Nipa and her company at http://www.jenesysgroup.com