What do you do if your Thought Leadership connections are not yielding meaningful professional relationships?

Reevaluate the connections made by you. What are the ways you thought your connections will support you professionally and what you have realized. Where is the gap. Instead of focusing solely on the number of connections, prioritize quality interactions with individuals who share common interests, goals, or expertise. Invest time in cultivating deeper relationships with a select few rather than spreading yourself too thin. Rebrand if necessary. Attend events. Join relevant communities Seek mentorship

If your Thought Leadership connections aren't fruitful: 1. Refine your network 2. Engage genuinely 3. Attend industry events 4. Be active on social media 5. Offer collaboration 6. Follow up consistently

It's essential to rejuvenate and re-assess one's leadership connections on a continual basis to ensure capture of nuanced approach to our continually changing landscape. A well thought out strategy in leadership alignment may have worked perfectly for the environment yesterday, but can change rapidly and should be fluid to remain well informed.

Efforts to cultivate thought leadership connections extend beyond preparing for a joint panel or brief encounters at industry events. Identify several contacts to connect with outside of a specific event. Bring your authentic self. Be inquisitive about the contact, their goals, what projects they are working on, what trends they see coming, etc... Share in return, and if there is an authentic connection consider proposing a more regular cadence of discussion, ask for suggestions on other key contacts you should meet, and volunteer for projects or panels that resonate with your skill set and your goals.

If your professional connections aren’t supporting your goals, perhaps it’s because they aren’t the right fit for your needs. Consider where you’re making your connections - are they from industries you want to be part of? Do they have roles that have the ability to open doors for you? Do you have shared goals, interests, and ideas? Our networks are partially made up of the people you’ve come into contact with throughout your career, but it’s important to also be strategic and intentional with how you grow your network. That involves actively seeking out the kind of people you want to be connected to, not just waiting for people to connect with you. Add value to your network before asking for support - relationship karma is real!

It is important to make sure value is defined by the other person. You have to understand what they would find valuable before attempting to provide that value. It also helps to understand whether the value is a priority or not for the other person, otherwise, it may get lost in the myriad of other competing decisions. Additionally, don't ask for anything in return. If you unconditionally provide value, the result will often enhance your professional relationship and at the very least, you will be genuine in your approach to growing your professional relationships.

Merely asking for feedback isn't always sufficient. Individuals may still hesitate to provide candid feedback to their superiors, fearing potential repercussions. To ensure the authenticity of feedback, it's crucial to establish clear definitions and perhaps even offer workshops to practice both giving and receiving feedback. By creating a culture where feedback is encouraged and safe, teams are more likely to engage in open communication. This not only fosters a healthy work environment built on trust and support but also empowers team members to feel confident and unafraid of failure. As a leader, understanding your team better allows you to effectively motivate and elevate them, ultimately strengthening your own leadership capabilities.

Developing empathy in the workplace is a valuable tool for fostering genuine and trusting connections. These connections are characterized by the ability to share emotions and anxieties without fear of judgment in future scenarios. Moreover, it's essential to recognize that sharing should always be voluntary, as not everyone may feel comfortable opening up immediately. It's important to include everyone and allow them the space to share at their own pace. Furthermore, I believe it's crucial to approach situations with consideration, always asking if someone is willing to share and signaling that you're there to listen. This fosters an environment of respect and support, where individuals feel valued and understood.

Persistence is simply not giving up. It is not easy, but if you value the professional relationship with the other person or company, it is in your best interest to persist. It also makes sense to approach the other person with different insights so your persistence doesn't become indifference in their eyes. You want to show your leadership by understanding what is important to the other person and delivering on what their needs and desires are.

Persistence and Patience are the keys to success. I firmly believe that leading a team entails prioritizing their growth and development, which constitutes 80% of my role. Putting people first is my guiding principle. That's why I invest 80% of my energy and passion in engaging with my team, providing ongoing support, exchanging feedback, and inspiring them to think boldly and embrace new challenges. There have been instances where I've adjusted agendas on the spot to offer immediate support. While this may sacrifice 10 minutes of planning, it builds invaluable trust and hopefully aids individuals in gaining confidence. With that a team is created which can work independently, creating a momentum of success, making work easier and more fun.

Reflect on your networking strategy and consider if you're approaching it with authenticity and sincerity. Focus on building genuine connections by offering value, actively engaging with others, and nurturing relationships over time to cultivate meaningful professional connections in the Thought Leadership community.

Learn to be a storyteller. From the time we were children to today, we have learned to enjoy stories and often associate memories with the stories we have heard. You can keep it simple by focusing on three points and have a beginning, a main objective and either a summation or a continuation. Add humor and you will find most people will take the time to listen to what you have to say.