He Turned His Back on Me

I was dismayed when at an invitation-only meeting after the meeting ended one of the hosts turned his back on me as I stood politely waiting for a moment to speak to him. Has this happened to you?

Networking is an important part of every business, although for some it is difficult to meet strangers and strike up a conversation. I have had to deal with this difficulty myself and have found a technique that works best for me - just be myself. So, when the gentleman host turned his back I stood patiently while he had a discussion with another attendee and did not take it personally. Their conversation was not private as their voices remained at the same level. Even with my respectable distance I could clearly hear their conversation. I waited a few minutes longer and then wanting to speak to a few other attendees I walked away.

The not so funny thing about this whole episode was that the host, a non-profit, was seeking my business to get involved and help with input and support of policy-making. What this particular individual does not realize is that I am an activist on issues that I care about and I volunteer a considerable amount of my time to community efforts and non-profits.

Ways to Handle the Situation

I have found through my experiences of being "blown-off" in similar situations whether it's by people I'm talking to or want to talk to that there is a professional way to handle these situations. Face it, there isn't enough time to talk to everyone you want to speak to or meet. The way I've tried to handle these situations when either someone wants to talk to me or I to them is to maintain politeness and professionalism.

When I'm in a conversation with someone and I know someone is standing near and wants to speak to me I have politely interrupted the conversation (while I'm speaking) to acknowledge the person waiting. If I know that I don't have the time right then to speak to them I've asked them for a business card and promise to call them either later that day or the next day. I return to the conversation and thank the person I am talking to for waiting.

I have handled it in a similar way when there is someone I want to speak to who I'm standing near either asking them to speak to me before they leave or asking if I can call them later. If there is someone I want to speak to them but didn't get the chance and I have their contact information I find the meeting is the perfect opportunity to follow-up with them after the event.

In any situation I find myself in I make every effort to remain polite and professional.

Have you had similar experiences? How have you handled them? You can comment below.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments.