It’s time to go beyond a traditional cocktail reception…
For too long the answer to getting people to interact has been putting them all in a room and serving canapes and alcohol.
But even the most extroverted individuals can struggle to ‘work a room’ when they don’t know anyone else and everyone is clustered into their familiar friendship groups.
In fact, more often than not, networking breaks are reminiscent of animals in the Serengeti – each group sticks to their own and doesn’t mix. You don’t see a zebra introducing themselves to a water buffalo, despite them being around the same watering hole. And this is the same in the corporate world. Departments, regions or just industry pals will gravitate towards each other, close themselves off from outsiders and only ever meet someone new if they are a friend of a friend.
But these silos are to be expected. Because even in a professional environment it can be quite daunting to walk up to a complete stranger and introduce yourself. The bar or a canape tray might act as a brief catalyst for serendipity, but these opportunities are few and far between.
So what can be done to break down these barriers?
The key is a shift in mindset. Why are you actually putting on the cocktail reception? Chances are because it’s second nature, it’s the ‘done thing’. But now consider the real ‘why’ – you want those in the room to interact with each other and form new relationships. Whether they are employees or clients, a successful event would see lots of new introductions being made.
Now consider what actually ‘breaks the ice’. It’s not forced fun or cheesy games, but shared experiences and memorable moments. The aim is to deliberately create accidental interactions – in other words provoke serendipity.
And the best way to do this is to use that allotted time creatively. Turn the entire room into an experience, be it a murder mystery or a bustling casino. Bring people together with inspirational guests, rather than motivational speakers – have them initiate a campfire conversation with groups, rather than preach from a stage. Summon illusionists or poets to create moments of ‘wow’ by interacting with the room. Or pit groups against each other in a playful gameshow competition.
However it’s done, the idea is to shuffle those clusters of people. Throw a few lions into the mix, excite the savanna and scatter those zebras so that they are running alongside antelope, giraffe and everything in between. But perhaps don’t take this too literally and give your corporate guests a reason to fear for their lives.
