• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Bob Kelly Writer

Making You Look Good On Paper

  • About
  • Writing Services
  • KellyGram
  • Quotations
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact

Schmoozing? Or Losing?

August 28, 2018 by Bob Kelly

In a newspaper article titled “The Art of Schmoozing,” one of the people interviewed by the reporter was quoted as saying: “A lot of our organization is built around networking, which means that we’re built around schmoozing.”

In his wonderful book, “The Joys of Yiddish” (among my all-time favorites), Leo Rosten commented: “I have never encountered a word that conveys ‘heart-to-heart chit-chat’ as warmly as does shmooz [his spelling].”

Schmoozing is about listening instead of talking, and about what you can do for others, instead of what they can do for you. It’s been likened to The Golden Rule, and called “the authentic practice of treating others well.”

Salesmanship and networking can be taught, but I’m not sure schmoozing can. It seems to be something that comes naturally, part of one’s personality. It’s all about sincerity.

Can being a good schmoozer lead to the development of solid business relationships, as well as personal ones? Certainly! As the old saying goes: “People do business with people they know, and with people they like.” But it’s all about letting it happen, rather than trying to make it happen.

A Final Word: “If you want to win at networking, don’t keep score.” ~ Harvey Mackay

Primary Sidebar

Post Archives

  • ► 2019 (2)
    • ► January (2)
      • Shot Down by Amazon!
      • Thoughts for the New Year
  • ▼ 2018 (59)
    • ► December (1)
      • Happy Birthday to Jesus - and Me!
    • ► November (4)
      • The Power of Questions
      • The Apostrophe Protection Society
      • Listen to Your Writing
      • Change of Address
    • ► September (8)
      • Leaving Readers Dangling - and Confused
      • Strategic Incompetence? There's a Word for It!
      • Watch Your Language!
      • Getting His Words Mixed!
      • Logophobia - and Other Diseases!
      • The Straight Scoop!
      • The Joy of Lex
      • The Proofreader’s Role
    • ▼ August (6)
      • Schmoozing? Or Losing?
      • Celebrating Bad Writing
      • What’s Up?
      • Feeling Unappreciated?
      • Completed at Last
      • A Must Read – Times Two!
    • ► May (7)
      • Favorite Words
      • Preparing a Book Proposal
      • Quintessence – Part 2
      • Quintessence – Part 1
      • Resources for Writers
      • The Power of the Tongue
      • “Reasons” not to Change
    • ► April (8)
      • Paronomasia? Say What!
      • The Biker
      • New Books
      • Condoughlences
      • Tax Time
      • A Sense of Humor
      • I’m Glad You Asked
      • National Humor Month!
    • ► March (9)
      • Play Ball
      • Banished Words
      • The "Fighting" Irish? I Object!
      • My Friend Patrick and Me - Part 2
      • My Friend Patrick and Me - Part 1
      • Opening Lines!
      • David Wins - Again!
      • Three Strikes and You're Out!
      • How Readable Is Your Writing? (Part 2)
    • ► February (7)
      • How Readable Is Your Writing? (Part 1)
      • Writing: The Preposition Position
      • Words: Loaded Pistols
      • Twenty-six – That’s All You Get!
      • Want to Write That Book? What's Stopping You? (Part 2)
      • Twenty-six – That’s All You Get!
      • How’s Your Deportment?
    • ► January (9)
      • Why Do We Quote?
      • Down with Literacy
      • A Little Bit More
      • The Ghostwriter’s Role
      • ‘Tain’t What You Say!
      • Adjectives and Banana Peels
      • Note Worthy
      • Painting Word Pictures
      • Words – A Love Affair
  • ► 2017 (3)
    • ► December (3)
      • New Year’s Day – a Vial Experience!
      • The New Year
      • The Reason for the Season!

Copyright © 2022 · Author Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in