Networking events have long been regarded as the ideal way to meet and connect with new clients and, while they enable business people to move out of their comfort zones and exchange company information, networking is more about building long-term, hearts and minds, sustainable relationships, and not just about instantaneous introductions.

This was the view expressed by Shannon Chamber’s chief executive Helen Downes when announcing the staging of a two-hour networking masterclass with networking expert Kingsley Aikins. The masterclass is being held in the Terrace Room at Dromoland Castle Hotel on Thursday, 3 March from 6pm to 8pm and is open to anyone who wants to improve their networking skills, in business and in life.

“Our guest presenter Kingsley Aikins has spent over 30 years working in six countries in the areas of trade and investment, philanthropy, education, culture, tourism and sport. Throughout this unique international experience he has come to appreciate the importance of networking and has since created a series of innovative and practical ways to teach this important skill, something that schools and colleges don’t teach and companies don’t have strategies for,” said Ms Downes.

The masterclass is designed to encourage behaviour change through the gradual adoption of a series of networking skills, which will give each participant a distinct competitive advantage in today’s changing business world.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Shannon, Kingsley Aikins said: “People who are great networkers work hard at it. They are humble and quietly confident that connecting people will result in something great even if it is unclear what that is. They think like farmers who sow a seed in the spring and nurture and care for it, knowing that there will be a harvest. They see contacts as a seed and relationships as a tree. They understand that they can’t know everything no matter how good they are and that the way to information they don’t know is through people that they do know. They understand the power of asking, and not just for business, but for advice, suggestions, opinions, ideas, referrals and introductions and, while they use technology, they network the old fashioned way – face to face; they pick up the phone and talk.”

The two-hour masterclass will cover a wide range of areas including: why networking is critical in a changed business world; characteristics of great networkers; the 4-step networking process; the power of attention; hi tech and hi touch; personal branding and; attitudes and behaviour. Each participant in the masterclass will receive a networking resource booklet and 50 networking tips.

To find out more, call Shannon Chamber at 061 360611 and to book a place log onto www.shannonchamber.ie/events/networking-masterclass-with-kingsley-aikins

 About Kingsley Aikins

 Kingsley Aikins is founder and CEO of Diaspora Matters, a Dublin-based consultancy company that advises countries, cities, regions, companies and organisations on how to develop strategies to connect with their Diasporas. He is a recognised expert on networking and has written and spoken extensively on the topic and has run workshops and online/offline networking training programmes for Google, LinkedIn, Accenture, Intel, PwC, KPMG and a number of the leading law firms in Dublin. He is an Economics and Politics graduate of Trinity College Dublin. In his career he worked for 10 years for the Irish Trade Board and IDA Ireland and was based in Sydney. He then led the Ireland Funds for 21 years, mostly based in Boston. In his time with the Funds over a quarter of a billion dollars was raised for projects in Ireland. He was awarded a CBE for his work on British-Irish issues. He represented Trinity College, Irish Universities, Vichy (France) and Leinster at rugby. He is married with 3 children and lives in Dublin.