🎯 Gamify Your Networking 🎮

Last week I saw this tweet…

You’ll find my initial response at the very end of this article, which was genuinely a very quick thought… but I decided to flesh out the idea and share it here with you.

But first, a confession…

Last time I took a personality test, it said that I’m 51% introvert and 49% extrovert.

But it’s been several years, and I think the scales have tipped a bit more into the introverted part. I’m noticing it a bit more lately.

And to be clear, I’m good with it. But I do need to hold that in tension so that I don’t go too far and when I attend business events or networking events, I’ve got to turn up the extroverted part, a bit more. 

So, what would happen if we Gamified Networking events or parties?

Why Gamify Networking?

1. Engage Your Brain Creatively 🧠
   Gamifying networking engages your brain in a creative way, making the experience more enjoyable and less stressful. It shifts your focus from simply trying to get a sale to genuinely connecting with others and learning from them.
   
2. Make a Lasting Impression 💡
   When you approach networking with a sense of fun and creativity, you stand out as one of the more interesting people in the room. People remember those who made them feel valued and intrigued.
   
3. A Cheat Code for Introverts 🎮
   For introverts, aimless talking can be draining. By having specific goals and ways to score your interactions, you give your conversations purpose and direction, making networking more manageable and enjoyable.
   

Setting Up the Game

But first, let’s reign in the parameters of the game:

1. This will not fix a bad party or event for everyone present, it only enhances the experience for those involved in the game.
2. This is not necessary if the host has created a structure that makes it naturally more engaging.
3. This is best done with two or more colleagues or friends in a friendly competition.
4. Decide the stakes before the event. If you win, what happens?
5. You cannot tell anyone you’ve turned this event into a game, including the host.
6. You have to prioritize People over Points. 
7. The Key to this entire experience is the Scoring Debrief. You’ve got to take time after the event to score together.
   

3 Networking Goals to Gamify Your Experience

• Collect Unique Stories 🎤
• Build a Connection Web 🌐
• Spot the Hidden Talent 🕵️
  

Let’s Break Those Down:

1. Collect Unique Stories 🎤

Goal:
Engage in meaningful conversations and collect three unique stories from people you meet.

Scoring:
5 points for each story-driven principle that’s new to you
10 points if the story teaches you something you will apply or implement today

Example Questions:
“What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on recently?” 
“Tell me about a challenge you overcame last year.”

2. Build a Connection Web 🌐

Goal:
Create a web of connections by introducing people to each other based on shared interests or complementary skills.

Scoring:
10 points for each successful introduction that leads to a meaningful conversation
15 points if the connection results in a potential collaboration or partnership

Tip:
Listen carefully to what people are passionate about or what they’re looking for, and then think about who in your network would be a great match.

3. Spot the Hidden Talent 🕵️

Goal:
Discover hidden talents or skills of at least three individuals that aren’t immediately obvious.

Scoring:
5 points for each hidden talent you uncover.
10 points if you can help them find an opportunity to showcase that talent.

Example Questions:
“What’s a hobby or passion of yours that not many people know about?”
“What’s a skill you have that you don’t get to use often in your job?”

The Scoring Debrief:

Now it’s time to tally the scores. Go somewhere else and debrief together. Since some of the scoring is more subjective, it requires a real debrief, which is the point. If you reduce the scoring to something like, “Who got the most emails?” You’ll miss the entire point because you’ll treat the exercise like a numbers game, but it should be a depth of connection game. And that requires more thought and inquisitive conversations.

Running from person to person to use them for some points is the wrong motivation.

Moving from meaningful conversation to meaningful conversation will actually yield the kinds of results you want and create better lasting connections with long-term fruit. 

So next time, set your goals, score your results, and have fun connecting with others in a meaningful way. You’ll find that the results will come naturally, and you’ll build a stronger, more engaging network.

P.S. This was my initial response to the question on X.

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