Get Bored Networking? Play This Game ...

If you think you are bored with networking, here's a game you can play at your next event.

Introduce yourself to someone you've never met before. Spend enough time talking to them so that you find out who you know in common or some other connection between you. It could mean that you both are fans of the same sports team, but if you're really bored, the rules of the game say that it has to be a personal connection.

Not that I'm bored with networking! But for example, tonight I went to a mixer. There were a lot of people there that I knew, but quite a few that I didn't know. I introduced myself to two women who seemed to be complete strangers. But after just a few minutes, it was revealed that the husband of one of them went to the same small high school that I graduated from.

Another person at the event started telling me how familiar my name was. I have no idea how she made this leap, but it turns out her grandmother and mine were very good friends for many years. I suspect her grandma talked about mine as much as mine did about hers, because I immediately recognized the name.

See? It's a very small world and I can't imagine that you could go to a decent-sized event and not find someone who knows someone you know.

Have you had many of these small world moments? Please share with us!