Part Four of 5 Keys to Building Business Relationships That Should Be Considered When Networking Did you miss the other three? Find them here:Part 1 - ContactPart 2 - Commonality Part 3 - Credibility Only when we have had the opportunity to demonstrate that we "walk our talk" over time and with enough interactions will our friends and associates be willing to show confidence in us. When people have confidence in you they will follow your lead, your example, or your direction. They will allow you to influence their thoughts on particular issues and they may even see you as an expert in others. If we want others to show confidence in us, we have to exhibit first for ourselves that we have it. The Fourth Key is Confidence: Do you exhibit Assurance Body Language - Standing up, walking with an attitude Do you make Eye contact - Never be afraid to look people in the eyes, especially during a handshake. Then maintain eye contact while you are having a conversation. Do you stand Firm - Staying true to yourself and not sacrificing your personal beliefs for another person Your Appearance - We've all heard, don't judge a book by its cover but we know people do. Confident people take pride in the way they look, including overall fitness, health and wellness. Looking good transcends to feeling good. Dressing nicely automatically makes you feel more confident. Check your Tonality - Confident people keep a level head. They have self-assurance; therefore they do not need to yell to get their point across. Are you Duplicitous - Never talk badly about other people, because it can diminish or weaken your own confidence and self-esteem. Remember that it is the people who speak negatively about others who often feel the worst about themselves. Do the right thing - Doing the "right" thing is not always easy, especially when outside pressures persist. Whenever you bend on someone else's wishes and not uphold what you know in your heart is the best action to take, your confidence level goes down. Never let another person control your destiny or give away your power. Confidence can be described as a belief in one's ability to succeed. Striking a healthy balance can be challenging. Too much of it and you can come off as cocky and that isn't the way to win friends and influence people. Taking stock in these characteristics will allow you to see if you stumble in this key attempting to build relationships with others, and how you can judge when you've met a person you can have confidence in. One more key, which is critical for all relationships, is next.......
