relationshhipbuilding — BLOG — Next Levels Coaching

When new executives join a company, one of the most effective strategies for success is establishing strong relationships with key stakeholders. These meetings not only help in understanding the organizational culture and priorities but also lay the groundwork for collaboration and influence. Building these connections early can significantly impact how work gets done and set the tone for long-term success. However, many people hesitate to initiate stakeholder meetings due to common obstacles.

Common Obstacles Holding People Back

1. "Other people are too busy." It’s easy to assume that others are too busy to meet with you. While it’s true that people have demanding schedules, this should not discourage you from asking. As Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and author of Give and Take, emphasizes, “The most generous people don’t hoard their time - they share it with others to build meaningful connections.” If someone is busy, ask for a time that works better or follow up later. Polite persistence often pays off.

2. "They are more senior to me." Many individuals fear reaching out to more senior colleagues, assuming they won’t be interested. Contrary to this belief, senior leaders often value these conversations. Executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, author of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, highlights that leaders appreciate opportunities to mentor and gain fresh perspectives. These meetings enable them to share their expertise while learning about the challenges faced by newer team members.

3. "They are not interested in relationship-building." It’s easy to misjudge someone’s willingness to connect. As Brené Brown, researcher and author of Dare to Lead, reminds us, “Connection is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” Often, people are more open to connection than we expect. One of my clients shared how, after taking the initiative to meet with colleagues, she found them not only receptive but grateful for the opportunity to engage.

How to Structure Stakeholder Meetings

A well-structured stakeholder meeting is crucial for maximizing the time you spend together. Here’s a simple framework:

1. Start with rapport. Begin with small talk to establish common ground. Share a bit about yourself and ask about their journey. Learning about their career trajectory, challenges, and proudest achievements creates a natural connection. Prepare a concise elevator pitch that highlights who you are and your goals within the company.

2. Understand their work and priorities. Ask open-ended questions to uncover what their team is working on, their top priorities, and their vision. Understand what they’re proud of and where they see opportunities for growth. Sharing insights about your own team’s goals fosters mutual understanding.

3. Seek collaboration opportunities. As Stephen Covey, author of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, advises, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Look for synergies where your teams can collaborate, creating value for the organization while strengthening relationships.

The Benefits of Regular Stakeholder Meetings

1. Stronger relationships. By meeting regularly, you foster trust and rapport, which in turn leads to improved communication and collaboration. Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, known for her work on psychological safety, notes that strong relationships foster environments where people feel safe sharing ideas and taking risks.

2. Increased visibility. Sharing your team’s work ensures others know what you’re contributing to the organization. This visibility can enhance your reputation, especially during calibration or promotion discussions. As Herminia Ibarra, author of Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader, advises, “Visibility is about more than being seen; it’s about being known for the value you bring.”

3. Opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship. Stakeholder meetings often lead to relationships with mentors and sponsors who can advocate for you, offer career guidance, and open doors to new opportunities. Research by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor, reveals that sponsors are pivotal in advancing careers, especially for underrepresented groups.

Stakeholder meetings are not just about ticking a box - they’re about creating meaningful connections that drive mutual success. By overcoming hesitations, structuring conversations effectively, and prioritizing these meetings, you can enhance relationships, increase visibility, and uncover invaluable opportunities for growth. As Dale Carnegie famously said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Take the first step today - schedule a stakeholder meeting and watch your professional relationships flourish.

Quote of the day: "Success in business is all about making connections." – Richard Branson

Question of the day. What steps have you taken to initiate a meaningful connection with a key stakeholder or peer? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you!

The next blog in this series 2/4 will focus on being visible in meetings.

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with new executives to sharpen their leadership and networking skills contact me to explore this topic further.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career path, mastering these networking techniques can propel you toward your goals with confidence and purpose.

Before Networking Beings: Prepare for Success:

1. Craft Your Elevator Pitch. The question, “What do you do,” is one that many dread because they do not like talking about themselves or are not sure how to do it effectively. Instead of responding with your profession, “I’m a Product Engineer,” you can talk about the problem you solve or the passion that drives you before sharing your role. You should deliver it succinctly in less than 90 seconds and choose a starting point that resonates with your audience's interests.

1A. Start with the Problem. For example, “Most small businesses fail; I am a VP at X company focused on helping budding entrepreneurs be successful. I teach them to write impactful business plans, perfect their pitches, and get seed funding so they can beat the odds and live their dream as a business owner depositing positive impact.”

1B. Start with Passion. Share your enthusiasm for your work and its impact. For example, “I live to make other people successful. As a Communication Coach, I help business leaders with their executive presence so they are noticed in the boardroom, inspirational speeches so they can empower their teams to do great things, and influencing skills to better collaborate with their stakeholders to get work done. If you wanted to start with your role before sharing your passion, you could say, “As a Sr. Director of Member Experiences, I am passionate about championing technology to solve business problems and creating delightful customer experiences. One product I helped to create recently positively impacted customers as they were able to… .”

2. Define your Current Networking Goal. Clarify your objectives, whether finding a mentor, advancing your career, growing your business, or building a professional support network. Understanding what success looks like enables you to network with intention.

3. Identify Key Contacts. If you are attending a big event, it can be overwhelming not to have a plan. However, if you can access the invite list and research and target individuals who align with your goals before attending, that can be effective. You can even email them in advance about your excitement in connecting. This proactive approach will save time and energy, especially for introverts who can quickly get drained. Instead of being exhausted by a 2–3-hour event, if you have met your goal and had three meaningful connections, you can leave after 40 minutes to not get burned out by the experience. While this is just a tentative plan, if you meet people who are not on your list and the interaction is fruitful, you can also consider that a success.

4. Prepare Your Ask. If an opportunity presents itself, for example, they say, “I love what you are trying to do; how can I help you?” It would be a missed chance if you had nothing meaningful to ask. You may want an introduction with their peer or an opportunity to connect again to learn about their career journey because you want to make a similar shift. When in doubt, asking for learning and connection opportunities is always good.

5. Define your Offer. Consider 1-3 things you can offer in case they need assistance. It is essential to understand your time constraints so you can provide an appropriate offer with the allotted time you have to spare.

5. Create a List of questions. Prepare a few engaging questions to facilitate meaningful conversations. Having them ready in advance alleviates the pressure and fosters genuine interactions. This will be the focus of the next article.

6. Craft Short stories. You can prepare 1-2 interesting anecdotes to captivate your audience and illustrate your experiences. You can reuse the same tales in different settings, and as you continue to network, you can gain inspiration to create more based on what others share so you can enhance your repertoire.

During Networking: Navigating Conversations with Finesse

1. Ask Thoughtful Questions. It is refreshing to get asked questions that are not frequently asked. Instead of doing what others do by asking typical inquiries such as, “What do you do,” you can encourage meaningful dialogue, “What’s your favorite part of your work? “What’s been energizing you personally and professionally this month? What’s the last thing you learned?" What’s one way you hope to grow this year?” You can lead the way by responding first to foster authentic exchanges.

2. Demonstrate Active Listening Skills. Dale Carnegie says to be interested rather than interesting. The sentiment concerns allowing others to talk, not just dominating the conversation. When you listen to people, you are not cued up with the next thing to say; instead, you are picking up on something important and asking follow-up questions. It is always helpful to listen to what they value or to the bigger picture and give them opportunities to talk more about that.

3. Find shared interests. Find common ground to establish rapport and deepen connection. They may mention that they just returned from traveling to a city and you had a fantastic experience there. You can share a memorable restaurant and discover your love of food or the beauty of the city. Small talk can lead to significant discoveries and lay the foundation for meaningful relationships. For example, you learn it always snows where they live and ask how they take advantage of that weather. They respond with their passion for skiing, which you happen to share, you will have much to explore on that topic. Or that they live in a town with popular sports teams, and you can connect over that.

4. Offer Appropriate Vulnerability. Share relatable anecdotes or experiences. There is a phenomenon called the Beautiful Mess Effect, put forth by a team of psychologists writing in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which states that contrary to our worst fears, having the courage to show our vulnerabilities is often rewarded and viewed more favorably by others. When sharing a time that you screwed up in a low-risk way or something similar can breed trust and strengthen the relationship.

Post-Networking: Sustaining and Nurturing Connection

1. Send Follow-up Messages. Reach out to those you connected with, expressing gratitude and suggesting future interactions. For example, “It was great meeting you. I enjoyed what you said about X, and I’d love to connect again; you mentioned you would be at the X conference in 2 months; maybe we can grab lunch there? If you do not have an event coming up, consider following up every few months. Building networks, while important, never feels urgent, and when you consistently reach out, you lay the foundation to develop strong relationships long before you might need anything.

2. Reach Out to Missed Connections. Do not hesitate to contact individuals you intended to meet but did not have the chance to connect with. Express your interest in engaging further and propose alternative meeting options. For example, “I attended this event and was looking forward to chatting with you because of your work in this area; I’d still love a chance to connect via Zoom or set up a coffee chat. Please let me know if a time window might work best for your schedule; I am happy to accommodate whatever might work for you.”

3. Maintain a Tracker. Keep a record of your networking interactions, including dates, where you met them, topics discussed, and follow-up actions such as when you would like to connect next and over what topic. If you are finding interesting articles that they may enjoy, you can send them to keep the connection alive, but be sure to personalize the message and be thoughtful about what you are sending. I know you said you were traveling to Belgium next month. I came across this interesting article about this new exhibit that opened, and I thought you might enjoy it given your love of art.

Record your networking interactions, including dates, topics discussed, and follow-up actions. Regularly update and review your tracker to stay on top of your networking efforts.

By implementing these strategies, you can navigate networking with confidence and purpose, unlocking numerous opportunities along the way. Networking is not just about making connections—it's about cultivating meaningful relationships that can enrich your personal and professional life.

Quote of the day: “Your network is your net worth.” -Peter Gale

Question: What’s your best networking strategy? Comment and share below; we’d love to hear from you!

The final blog in this series 4/4 will focus on effective networking questions and frameworks.

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to strengthen their internal and external networking approaches for win-win opportunities. Contact me to explore this topic further.