Recognizing These 4 Behavioral Types Will Help You Network More Efficiently

Nearly everyone, at some point in time, has been involved in a situation where personalities clash. This is natural; different people are born with different predispositions and are raised in different environments. Still, in the business world, one should do their best to keep personal differences from affecting their necessary professional relationships.

In a recent publication Networking Like a Pro, Dr. Ivan Misner and Brian Hilliard investigate the effect that a person’s innate behavioral style has on how they act as they interact with other professionals. While these behaviors are present to a degree in everyone, the book posits that one or two of them make up the lion’s share of each individual’s behavior. How well you network, or interact, with someone is based on how well each of your behavioral types connects with the other.

Thankfully, this does not mean that there are just some people you will never be able to successfully network with.

Misner and Hilliard provide a kind of cheat sheet to advise how to interact and cooperate with the four behavioral types: Go-Getters, Promoters, Examiners and Nurturers.

Behavioral Type #1: Go-Getters
Speed is an explicit requirement when dealing with a Go-Getter. The Go-Getter wants results NOW, if not sooner, and has no problem with bending the rules a bit in order to achieve the desired result.

To most effectively communicate with a Go-Getter, they need to see the value that you offer them in terms of the end result. To put it another way: they need to realize how you can make operations move faster for them while still delivering the results that they demand. Go-Getters also want options, but will not respond well to a planned-out script in lieu of a pitch. A Go-Getter wants to hear the highlights, and, most importantly, needs to see that you deliver results as promised.

Behavioral Type #2: Promoters
A Promoter is always willing and ready to locate a good idea and spread it, often based more on their gut feeling than on knowledge gained through research. A straight-up "people-person", a Promoter will often attend industry events to network. Promoter's are usually non-confrontational, and will often have many different plans in the works simultaneously.

The best way to communicate with a Promoter is to match their tempo and focus on their priorities. Since a Promoter is usually concerned with their image, you should demonstrate how your offer could boost their recognition in their industry. When making a deal with a Promoter, make sure that the minor details and minutiae are all in writing, and that you can quickly provide them with plenty of assistance to confirm that they made the best choice.

Behavior Type #3: Examiners
Examiners are born skeptics and will do everything in their power to evaluate the person they are considering working with. They are very thorough, and will often be a perfectionist. Unsurprisingly, an Examiner is fond of information and can utilize their knowledge to carry on conversations quite well. They also value efficiency; they will not hesitate to leave an event once their goal has been accomplished.

To network with an Examiner, concision is vital, as is support for your position. You will want to cut straight to the point, supplying facts and evidence that establish you as the best choice for their company needs. Small talk should only be used as supplementary evidence of your service quality and dependability. Ultimately, it is imperative that you prove yourself to an Examiner; make sure you put your best foot forward.

Behavior Type #4: Nurturer
In comparison to the high-velocity methods of a Go-Getter, a Nurturer appreciates a slow-and-steady manner of conducting business. They also tend to have more patience and therefore are often willing helpers. Highly approachable, a Nurturer encircles themselves with those who are willing to support one another. They are predisposed to be team players. A warning, though: they also have a tendency to tolerate an unpleasant situation over taking a risk to change it.

To do business with a Nurturer, it is best to simply be honest as you interact with them. They will require some time in order to really trust you, which you can encourage by occasionally nudging them toward the conclusion you want them to come to. Relatedly, it is imperative to stay in touch with a Nurturer throughout the process, providing evidence of how your solution will help simplify their business and offer them support.

By recognizing these Behavioral Types and the strategies that are most effective with each of them, you should be able to network more efficiently and form mutually beneficial business relationships.

Which Behavioral Type do you think you present? Let us know in the comments!