Have you ever been to a networking group and something about it just seems off? And no one else seems to notice it?
Well, one of two things is probably happening:
- Other people notice it and aren’t saying anything about it or letting on.
- You’re the only one who feels like something is off.
Generally though, the reason is probably the first one.
However, the message is probably the same: this isn’t the right group for you.
I want to pause here to note a couple things. 1) Some groups are going to have an off day and that’s okay and to be expected on occasion. 2) If all the groups your attending feel off – recognize the common denominator – you 🙂 . If that’s happening, you have a great opportunity to look a bit deeper and ask yourself what’s going on.
Back to the topic.
Not every single group available is going to be a good fit for you. Just like every single person you meet isn’t your client. It’s not good or bad, it’s just one of those things that just IS.
And you usually don’t know if it’s for you or not until you attend a meeting (or two).
Sometimes, in an effort to “be the bigger person,” we keep going. Somehow thinking that it will get better if we just hang in there a little longer (I’ve done this).
And sometimes we’re not sure how to gracefully bow out – we feel like we need a good excuse to stop attending (done this too!).
Or it’s some combination of the two.
Either way, it can be difficult to say that we’ve decided to stop attending a group. And when asked about it we feel the need to over-explain or be apologetic.
What if instead you just said, I’ve decided it’s not the right group for me right now? Or if you have another reason to share, by all means share, but it doesn’t need to have a lot of details. And really “it’s not the right group for me right now” covers a lot of ground.
And you might be surprised to realize that it doesn’t even come up that you stopped attending.
What have you done, or would you do, in a similar situation? Share in the comments below!
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I agree, I’d suggest either leaving quietly or having a one on one conversation with a leader of the networking group.
Personally I’ve been to wonderful groups that are not a good fit for me or my business. And I’ve been to groups that are a good fit. Keep trying until you find the right match.
Thanks again Evie for your spot on insights.