Here are 3 fundamental principles I believe every professional should follow when navigating conflicting guidance at networking events: 1. Be authentic, but strategic: Be yourself, but adapt to your audience. Authenticity builds trust, but being strategic ensures you connect with the right people aligned with your goals. 2. Quality over quantity: Instead of casting a wide net, focus on building deeper relationships with fewer people. Depth often leads to more meaningful opportunities. 3. Listen more than you speak: Networking is about understanding others. By listening and asking good questions, you add value and become more memorable.

When faced with conflicting advice at a networking event, trust those whose guidance aligns with your goals, is backed by real experience, and comes with tangible results. Look for mentors who understand your industry’s intricacies and who’ve demonstrated success in situations similar to yours. Ultimately, rely on insights that challenge you to think strategically and offer actionable takeaways. Trust your intuition, but also weigh the practicality and relevance of the advice to your unique circumstances.

When faced with conflicting advice at networking events, I rely on these principles: 1. Be open to receive: Absorb diverse perspectives without immediate judgment. 2. Allow time to reflect: Let insights settle before deciding. Clarity often emerges after contemplation. 3. Trust your instincts: Your gut feeling, combined with reflection, is a powerful guide. 4. Align with your values: Advice resonating with your core beliefs usually serves you best. 5. Consider the source: Evaluate the advisor's experience and relevance to your situation. The best guidance often comes from synthesising multiple viewpoints rather than following a single source. Stay open, reflective, and true to yourself.

The only advice that matters is this: Why are you there? If you don’t know why you’re there, or your ideal clients, connections or referrers aren’t there, then no other advice is going to help because you won’t be able to execute it effectively. Your time is finite, so you have to network with purpose.