Career Advice » Career Advice Articles » Networking Advice » Building positive energy - Using mirror neurons for successful networking
Networking successfully requires jobseekers to build positive energy into their networking efforts. This can be done with mirror neurons. To find a job, you need to get out there and network, but you may have noticed there’s a wall jobseekers often run right into. Let’s say you meet someone and, after a few pleasantries, the conversation moves to your job search. Once you tell people that you are looking for work, the conversation stalls. The other person goes on the defensive, fearing you are going to ask for a job or a referral. You can see their eyes dart around the room as they plan their escape.
Positive energy deflation
When this happens your positive energy deflates as you react to their reaction. Your body stiffens, your smile tightens and you catch their negative vibe. And that loud hissing noise? It’s your confidence being deflated. Emotions are contagious and you just caught their virus!
Using mirror neurons for positive energy building
Mirror neurons cause you to reflect another person’s emotions. Recently there has been exciting research in the area of neuroscience—the science of the brain. What researchers have found is that our brains connect—there’s a brain to brain linkage. We really do catch each other’s emotions. Daniel Goleman, who popularized emotional intelligence (EQ), has a new book out on social intelligence. Goleman says: “The brain’s areas for movement and emotion are peppered with mirror neurons, a newly discovered class of brain cells that act like neural WiFi. These neurons specialize in tuning into the person we are with and creating in our brain a replica of the other’s emotions, actions and intentions—tuning us to their wavelength.” In other words, we can affect how others interact with us.
So instead of catching the other person’s negative emotional virus, work on how you can affect their emotions. If you feel someone shutting down, don’t mirror that behaviour. Instead, stay confident, continue to smile, stay relaxed and go on with the conversation using your positive energy. Your goal is to leave that person with a positive impression because you never know what may come of that encounter, however brief. If you come across as confident, energetic and knowledgeable, people will remember you.
To learn more about social intelligence and mirror neurons, pick up Daniel Goleman’s Social Intelligence, or check out his website at www.danielgoleman.info.
Gayle Hallgren-Rezac is vice-president of marketing for the Shepa Learning Company, a training and development company. She is co-author of Work the Pond! Use the Power of Positive Networking to Leap Forward in Work and Life (Prentice Hall, 2005) with