That just wasn't funny

There are some things you simply shouldn't do at networking events.

As more networks look to stand out from the crowd, attract people to come back time and again and focus on the social element of their offering, so it becomes easier to let your guard down and forget you represent your business when you network. I have written before about the perils of drinking at networking events, last night I witnessed someone being thrown out for the first time.

The event was a networking Christmas social at a comedy club. As usual, there was plenty of free beer and wine available and people were happy to take advantage of the opportunity. Part of the event was a comedy show, with three comedians performing for the members and guests.

Two of the attendees, both clearly the worse for wear, decided to become part of the show, joining in the 'banter' with the comedians. I have been to a lot of stand up shows and there are always people in the audience who seem to like the spotlight on them, but most of the time they recognise pretty quickly that the comedian has the upper hand and they quieten down.

Not these two.

Both of them kept up the heckling throughout the evening, imagining they were as funny as the acts on stage. They became quite tiresome very quickly. During the third act one of them threw three items at the stage, forcing the comedian to stop and refuse to continue until the heckler was ejected. The audience made their displeasure clear by chanting 'out, out, out' until he was removed.

OK, you may have gathered that I'm not a fan of persistent hecklers at comedy shows anyway. The most important thing in this case was that the two hecklers forgot that the show was part of something bigger, a networking event. They were, I assume, there on behalf of their businesses. To make new contacts and deepen existing relationships.

What impact do you think their behaviour would have had on their reputations and relationships? They have possibly done enormous damage to their businesses, simply by forgetting where they were and why they were there.

Particularly at this time of year it can become easy to let your hair down at networking events. At the risk of being boring, don't forget where you are, who you are with and what you are trying to achieve.

It is so easy to destroy months and years of relationship and reputation building for the sake of one good night out.