9 Neuro-Tactics to Network Like a Ninja

The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work.

~ ROBERT KIYOSAKI 

I’m an introvert.

I proclaim my introverted-ness with a bit of hesitation because, after all, I’m an introvert, aren’t I?

I’m not just saying this to carve my place amongst all the other introverts; if introverts were to ever conduct a contest for ‘The Most Introverted in the World” then I’d be crowned Queen. I want to let others know that it’s OK to be shy and introverted, there’s nothing wrong with you. BUT, what I learned the hard way, if you want to be successful in life you’re going to have to learn to work with your introverted-ness, and not let it engulf you.

Let me explain.

Growing up in Los Angeles, a very happening, lively, and social kind of town, I was the person who throughout High School and University had a well-worn path from home to school, back to home (with perhaps a stop at the library). If I were to have a one-on-one conversation with you, I’d be looking down towards your shoes, avoiding making any sort of eye contact because I just felt so shy and uncomfortable.

My parents, noticing I hardly ever engaged socially with friends or family, tried to get me out of my shell. My Mom would ask me to do errands for her, like get groceries or deposit a check…but I’d vehemently refuse!

So…What Happened?

Today I’m still an introvert, but no one believes me when I tell them this. It’s probably because as a Human Resource Consultant, Entrepreneur, Newspaper Columnist, Television Guest, Public Speaker and Corporate Trainer my work requires me to engage with hundreds of people on a weekly, if not daily, basis! And I do it quite well (patting my own back right now) DESPITE being an introvert.

I know you’re probably wondering whether I got hit on the head with a heavy object or something equally transformative that caused this mental shift in my personality, but nothing of the sort happened. What did happen is I realized one day that I had a lot to offer the world (my passion, my interests, my knowledge, and experience), but it was all going to waste because I had accepted my introverted-ness as something I could not change.

I also realized that my career and business were painfully stagnating due to my resistance to meeting and professionally connecting with people. This particular realization was a rude wakeup call to my harsh reality. I started exploring what I could do to help me break through the wall I had built around myself. Looking at others who had a natural flair for people and who seemed to automatically click with others, I assumed they were born with the God-gifted skills of persuasion, influence, and all-around charisma.

I was wrong.

From my education, research and experience I discovered that connecting with people is more of a science than an art; it’s psychology and neuroscience to be exact.

I want to let you in on the science. After reading over 68 Neuroscience and Psychology-based journal and research articles, I organized my findings into NINE basic principles, I call them Neuro-Tactics, that you can use to really connect with people in social and professional interactions. I mean like REALLY connect to a point your mental frequencies physically mirror one another!

What are those Nine Neuro-Tactics?

I've put together a guide called the 9 Neuro-Tactics To Network Like A Ninja And Increase Your Career Net Worth. In this guide, you get all 9 Ninja Networking Strategies along with practical tips on how to use them in your networking interactions. I also provide the research reference for those of you who are a bit nerdy like me.

Here's a little sneak peek into each one of the 9 Neuro-Tactics, but get the guide for all the juicy details...

Most people reach a decision about others within 2-3 minutes of initial contact (some say it’s as fast as 7-11 seconds!). Yes, you read that right. People have decided whether or not you are “worth it” even before they get to your well-rehearsed speech or perfectly orchestrated anecdotes.

According to researcher Albert Mehrabian, almost 60% of communication is nonverbal. Yet we rarely think about what our body language is communicating with others even before we open our mouth. In order to be effective in communicating and connecting with people, you need to make sure all 100% of communication is working for you. That's where POWER-POSING comes into the picture.

Molecular Biologist John Medina says our brain is addicted to a drug.

No, it’s not illegal. It’s a naturally occurring neurotransmitter called dopamine. This neurotransmitter is released when we experience pleasure and reward. Our brain loves dopamine so much that it drives us to do more of the things that release it because it makes us feel all warm, gushy, and high (in a good way). If you can activate the brain’s reward network and give people a dopamine boost, then you will be the most memorable and charismatic person in every room.

There are things (all clean and legal) YOU can do to tickle the brain’s pleasure centers and give the people you interact with a dopamine rush...essentially getting them ADDICTED to you.

Back in 1867 Disraeli and Gladstone were competing to become Prime Minister of England. By coincidence, they both asked a young lady out to lunch, and after each lunch date, reporters asked the young lady about her experience.

About Gladstone she said: I thought he was the cleverest person in England. About Disraeli she said: I thought I was the cleverest person in England. Can you guess who won the election?

The one who applied the fundamental principle of influence, Disraeli, which says: In order to be important, make others feel important. Over a hundred years later the American thought-leader and author Dale Carnegie repeated this same principle in his teachings: To be interesting, you have to be interested.

Most people go into conversations, meetings, and social situations thinking about what they can say to be interesting. They try to come up with funny anecdotes. They try to impress people. But I want you to do the exact OPPOSITE...at least that what the research says to do.

There was a toy inventor named Ty Warner. He had lost all his money in failed ideas but decided to put all he had into one last attempt. He designed a toy that had a unique name and its own special story captured in poetic verse. This toy ended up making him 700 million dollars in just one year!

If this story captured your attention, then you'll understand why the success of Ty's Beanie Babies was greatly due to the personal story attached to each stuffed animal. Storytelling is the oldest, most potent trick for capturing attention and influencing thinking because it can elicit powerful emotions that are nearly impossible to evoke with a straightforward presentation of facts and numbers.

How good of a STORYTELLER are you?

Go ahead and bare it all.

No, not physically…get EMOTIONALLY naked to influence people.

This may sound counterintuitive, but research has found that stripping off your ego and exposing your vulnerability increases your likability and helps you to connect with people. We’ve been taught NOT to show our weaknesses and shortcomings, but to really connect, be memorable, and win people over, you need to reveal your flaws.

But there's a fine line between the activating this Vulnerability Effect and looking like a complete dweeb!

Can you do me a favor? Please share these 9 Neuro-Tactic with someone you know who could benefit from them. Thanks a million!

The reason why I’m asking you for a favor is called "The Franklin Effect.” The story goes that Benjamin Franklin, a great influencer of his time, made both friends and enemies during his first term in office. As re-election approached, he was concerned he wouldn't get enough votes to win. One of his adversaries was a highly influential man and Franklin knew if he could get him on his side, then he'd be able to win.

So what did Franklin do?

He sent the man a letter asking if he could borrow a rare book from his library. The man was flattered and lent it to him right away. According to Franklin, his adversary from that point forward became a close friend.

But there's a right way, and a WRONG way to ask for a favor!

We’ve all heard the sayings, Birds of a Feather Flock Together, and Great Minds Think Alike. No matter how hard we try to convince ourselves, opposites simply DON'T attract!

The similarity of appearance, demographics, beliefs, and even personality make a person more likable, and thus more influential. When we meet someone with whom we have strong similarities, our comfort level quickly increases, the conversation flows, and we feel like we’ve somehow ‘clicked’ with them.

Does this mean you can only connect and influence people who are your duplicates?

Not really. If you do share points in common, then that’s great. But if you don’t find anything in common, don’t worry. Mimic them.

Let me ask you a question: Who’s the most charismatic person you know?

Got it? Ok, now tell me what is it about this person that makes them so magnetic, influential, and likable?

Most people when answering these questions identify someone in their life whose presence makes them feel good. They actually experience pleasure (remember dopamine) just by being with them. How do charismatic people do this?

This feel-good effect is backed by MIT's Human Dynamics Lab where they found charismatic people make others feel good by using extremely good _____. (Get the guide to find out!)

Everyone talks about how to make a good first impression and make a grand entrance. But the undervalued, under-discussed, and under-appreciated art of the graceful exit is equally important.

Research shows people remember most their first impression (primacy effect), the high or low of an interaction, and the END of an interaction (recency effect). Whatever you do, don’t ruin a great interaction with a “BAD” exit!

Use what I call the "Columbo Technique" (more on that in the guide).

There you have, the 9 Neuro-Tactics to Network Like a Ninja and Increase Your Career Net Worth.

I've used all 9 of these Neuro-Tactics myself to become a functional, successful introvert. This is not folklore or NLP. Each neuro-tactic is backed by research from psychology and neuroscience to give you an edge in connecting with, influencing, and persuading people.

Through my work as an HR Consultant and Executive Career Coach, I've developed a strong belief that:

If you don't understand the BRAIN, then you don't understand ANYTHING!

That's why I back everything I do with research. No hypothetical, 6-figure, 5-Step, million-dollar frameworks for this girl. Just pure and simple SCIENCE.

Give your networking a science-backed boost and watch your impact, influence, and career soar. Get the entire guide I put together for FREE: