Visiting a networking group? How do you get started with involved conversation? Go to the event with a few power questions. Prepare your questions in advance, or use the questions that follow here.

What makes a great question for meeting other business leaders quickly? First, the question should be open-ended, allowing the other person to offer more than cursory detail. Some people will respond with a lot of depth; others will not. Your questions should give the other person a chance to show their unique qualities without hesitation.  

Secondly, the question should be easy to answer. If your question poses a great moral dilemma, the other person is likely to pass quickly.  Not every question will be an easy answer for all your contacts, but you can rule out some questions as too challenging for a first meeting. Your question should ignite most people’s sense of interest.

The question should be positive in tone. Assume the best of the other person! Let your question show the networking community that you believe in their worth. A positive question helps to remove some natural apprehension.

“Hi! I’m Steve. I’m a career coach, working on a book about career transitions.” That’s how I start, I tell something true and brief about me.  I give enough information to allow a reasonable follow-up question for the other person.

“How do you help your customers succeed?” This question allows the other person to reveal their relationship with customers, perhaps revealing what their personal strengths are. It is similar, but different to the question, “What do you do?” or “What line of work are you in?” The question puts the highlight on the service and help that your contact provides.

 “What do you do really well?” Although a new colleague may offer a big list of services, he or she may prefer to do only a few of them. Ask the networker to tell you about strength areas. This “done well” issue may give you insight about the kind of person you are talking to, and what area of work this person enjoys doing. Strengths tell us about how people are energized in their work.

“What are your goals for the next year?” Pay attention to the future. A question about what a networking friend is working on tells you where the mind is focused. A choice of goals shows you something of the values of the networker. When you know the goals of the other person, you can look for opportunities to help each other.

Share your own answers to these questions. Be prepared to show a new colleague that you are not just grilling them, but you are open and engaged. You don’t have to be perfect, instead I recommend that you honestly answer these questions for yourself, and present your understanding of your limitations, with a positive slant, because you believe in your work!