Background

The members’ organisation for British plastic manufacturers wanted their core team to act as good ambassadors for the sector. It was important for the team to have the skills and confidence to network effectively at conferences and other events, representing BPF to members, potential members and other stakeholders.

Along with networking skills, the same team also engaged in a further workshop on Presentation Skills.

Approach

This was a half-day interactive workshop, which incorporated tips for planning a strategy for a networking event, crafting a personal introduction, and practicing putting new techniques into action. We explored how to influence overtly and covertly through using non-verbal signals as well as lines of conversation to help build rapport. We discussed how to follow up short-term interactions to ensure that they could contribute to building long-term relationships.

Outcome

The team felt much more positive about seizing opportunities to use networking events to build BPF’s influence, and more confident in their own social skills.

A one-day workshop in presentation skills for a team of scientists who were engaged in innovating new prosthetic products for use in surgery.

Their strengths lay in their technical expertise, but the success of the team and its individual members also depended on their ability to influence upwards and across departmental lines. Presentations were identified by group manager, Matt Chandler, as a key opportunity for this kind of influencing.

After the training, the participants were more focused on tailoring their message to the audience and projecting themselves as experts.