Jacqui d'Eon - Blog #events

The Secret to Networking: Stop Trying to Get Something

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0500

I like to say my hobby is collecting people. It's a fun way of saying I genuinely enjoy networking.

Friends and colleagues often come to me looking for help, and while I can't always solve their problem directly, I almost always know someone who can. A good introduction goes a long way.

Years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael J. Hughes, widely known as North America's Networking Guru. Michael dedicated his career to helping business professionals use networking as a strategic skill, and his insights have stuck with me long after we first connected.

Sadly, Michael passed away last year, but his wisdom is absolutely worth keeping alive. Consider this a small tribute.

Here are his 7 characteristics of effective networkers, with my take on each:

Courageous. They take the initiative, which makes everyone around them more comfortable. My take: At receptions or cocktail parties, be the first to introduce yourself. It costs nothing and sets a great tone.
Curious. They've cultivated genuine curiosity, making others feel seen and valued. My take: Curiosity doesn't kill anything. It opens doors to conversations and connections you never expected.
Caring. They show real interest in others, which builds trust fast. My take: A simple way to show you care? Share an article on a topic you know someone is passionate about.
Skilled communicators. They let the other person shine and actually listen. My take: Active listening is the whole game here.
Value creators. They look for ways to highlight someone else's strengths and connect the dots. My take: If I'm at an event and someone new joins the conversation, I'll introduce them with a hook: "Jim, meet Barbara. Barbara, Jim is an avid golfer." Instant connection.
Consistent. They take ownership of keeping relationships moving, even when progress feels slow. My take: This is the hard one. Not everyone responds right away, and that's okay. Relationships take time.
Contribution-focused. They lead with giving, not getting. My take: I often feel like I give more than I receive early on, but when I reach out for help, my network shows up. That's not luck; that's the return on a genuine investment in people.

Michael's framework is as relevant today as ever. If you'd like help tapping into my network or exploring leadership development, I'd love to connect. Let's talk.

Finding Your Voice

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:17:00 -0500

Communication has two active states: speaking and listening.

But speaking isn’t just about the words coming out of your mouth. It’s how you present yourself to your audience, whether that’s one person or thousands.

Your voice shows up everywhere. In presentations. Emails. Meetings. Social media posts. Media interviews. Even in how you write a memo.

Each one is an opportunity to be heard.

Finding Your Voice

Here’s what most people miss: voice isn’t just what you say.

It’s how you say it. The tone you use. The strength of your message. The format you choose. Whether you’re consistent or all over the place.

A lot of my facilitation work focuses on helping leaders find their voice. And yes, it’s something you have to find. It doesn’t just appear one day.

The process sounds simple. Who are you talking to? What do they already believe? How do they like to receive information? What do you want them to know? What action do you want them to take? How will you know if it worked?

Simple questions. Complex answers.

That’s where the real work happens.

Why This Matters

Over the years, I’ve worked with people and organizations to help them discover their voice.

Sometimes that means bringing in other experts. A presentation coach. A talented writer. A designer. A speech coach. Each person adds their magic to make sure the message lands.

One of my former bosses once told me, “Thank you for being my voice.” He believed that because I helped him find his voice, he succeeded as an executive. His message got stronger. His impact grew.

That’s the power of knowing what you want to say and how to say it.

The question is: have you found yours yet?

Six Essential Ingredients for a Successful Event

Fri, 03 May 2024 11:12:52 -0400

Events. Conferences. Seminars. Workshops. All have one simple thing in common – people who attend them. They are also complicated to do well and require careful planning to be successful.

Here are the key ingredients for a successful event:

Be clear on your purpose. Events can run the gamut from pure celebrations to inciting action to fundraising. An event isn’t necessarily the best approach for some purposes. When you are honest about your purpose, the action steps to achieve your objectives are much clearer.
Give yourself time to plan. People are busy. Not just your attendees but event planners too. When you think about who you want at your event and what it will take to deliver the event (venue, programming, catering, etc.) make sure you give yourself sufficient time to make it happen and give your potential attendees sufficient notice to put it in their calendars.
Make sure you understand the costs involved. Events are expensive. Developing a detailed budget that anticipates the costs involved and allows a contingency is important. If attendees will be charged a fee to attend, the breakeven event/profit/loss calculations are critically important to both know and manage.
Recruit the right audience to attend. As noted above, people are busy. You need to give them time to get the event in their calendars and if you are charging a fee, time to get budget approval to attend. Attracting the right audience means being clear on your target group and appealing to them in your pre-event marketing/invitations, etc. People need to know why your event is a must-attend and what they will get from attending – even if it is only to be seen in the company of others. By the way, the easier you make it to say yes, the better.
Execute with excellence. It may seem obvious, but a fantastic learning event can be derailed by inadequate seating, a hot room or terrible food. Whatever you promised your audience ahead of time, make good on the promise and if possible go above and beyond.
Measure your performance. Experience is a great teacher. Getting feedback on the success measures you set at the beginning will help you plan for the future. Measures can include financial success, media coverage, attendee follow-up, etc.

It may not be rocket science or brain surgery but having a successful event with these six ingredients can make the difference between achieving your objectives or failing very publicly. Put your best foot forward by ensuring you have the right ingredients.

Leaders are often called upon to stage or participate in events. If you need assistance determining whether or not to hold your own or participate in an event, let's talk.

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