How can you leverage your network to gain support for your vision?

Vision defines where I need to reach …….pick those who can guide or support you for handholding Their expertise also help you to avoid risks & leverage max on to go strategy

Your network can't support a vision that doesn't exist. Don't have a vision yet? Build one in public. Networks love being part of the growth process.

Funnily enough a ‘vision’ is very often not thoroughly considered as we jump into action mode and want to deliver, do ‘stuff’. As a leader, it is very important indeed to set out a North Star, something to aspire to; For yourself to hold on to in times of doubt but also for others to rally behind it. People like to ‘see’ and ‘feel’ things, they want to be able to take something and make it their own. I have often set out a vision for others to just that. Essentially, it is like building a framework, a IKEA cupboard say where teams and followers can put things inside; Filling it with life in true team spirit.

To garner support for your vision, leverage your network. Communicate your vision and goals, share your ideas, and seek feedback. Identify allies and champions who share your vision and collaborate to build momentum. Tap into your network’s expertise and resources for advice and guidance. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, as your network can provide support in various ways. By leveraging your network, you can establish a strong base of support for your vision and increase your chances of success.

I have come across people who many a times says, 'I don't believe in having a defined vision as it restricts my thought process'. Often people of such thinking have a habit of going with the flow. However, in my opinion, it is good to have some basic goals of the organisation and where it wish to see itself in defined time frame and achieve what milestone.

When sharing your vision, be unique. You’ll resonate with your audience if you’re authentic and transparent. Be proud of what you offer and be consistent with good content. Post and share often but take time when creating your content so it really represents you and what you bring to your audience and potential clients.

The real test of faith in your vision is making it public. If it feels awkward, do it often, until you are confident in what you're promoting. The good news is, your audience doesn't look for perfection, they look for someone they can relate to, a solution that speaks their language.

Disseminate your vision within your network. Utilize diverse channels like social media, blogs, podcasts, webinars, or newsletters to broaden your reach and demonstrate your expertise. Employ interactive approaches like networking events, coffee chats, or mentoring sessions for deeper engagement and meaningful dialogue. Customize your message to resonate with your audience, employing clear language and expressing genuine enthusiasm and passion.

Develop a concise explanation of the requirement that your service meets and the problem a potential client will experience without your service. Humans are loss averse, so explain the implications of that problem: in terms of wasted time, wasted money and the emotional stress. Aim to make it so memorable that when you meet someone they never say "So, what is it you do again?"

Active listening and learning from your network are equally essential. Embrace feedback, criticism, and suggestions, remaining receptive to insights on challenges, risks, and potential gaps in your vision. Respect and appreciate diverse perspectives and experiences, engaging in dialogue, seeking advice, and fostering collaboration. Through attentive listening and learning, you can enhance your vision, glean valuable insights, and unearth novel opportunities.

Positive and constructive feedback add value to your vision. Even if it doesn't feel like it in the beginning. Let it sink in, don't react immediately, you will find your lesson and it will help you grow. Acknowledge that you will have challenges and you'll need to adapt, add changes to your vision, don't get too attached to your first versions. Things are supposed to change, it's how we evolve.

Use the open source model, akin to American Idols. Go e are the days when you come up with an idea and try to sell it. With this new model, businesses and individuals should be able to socialise the idea, solicit feedback and make amendments to what the target audience desire. Through this journey, you can tweak, amend or even overhaul the idea before putting it out for a vote.

having a strong network of acquainted people of same or heterogeneous domains is great strength. In order to build trust and credibility, it is important be be visible and meet them often so that the members of your network develop an impression of a person with consistency, and hence trust gets added. Also, when you talk about your recent success and satisfactory delivery to some clients, it further adds to credibility of yours. It always helps to talk of challenges faced in delivering, so an element of you being a dependable partner or vendor also gets highlight.

Never break your word, that will ruin your reputation. Be transparent when things go well but especially when they don't. You may lose some of your audience on the way and that's OK, your tribe will stick with you.

The best way to build trust is to be helpful. Even certain situations might not be concerning to you, giving a helping hand still gonna contribute to your credibility.

Share your successful ventures. This could be a new client, a successful client project, an engaging event you attended, new appointments to boards or committees, other business partner’s journeys! Tag other businesses and people to reach their audiences and give praise. Be positive the majority of the time but it’s okay at times to show vulnerability when something doesn’t work out quite right. Share how you overcame obstacles.

Connections are a currency ?? Growing your network isn’t about quantity and all about quality And how do you build quality? Offer value → Make introductions → Share insights → Offer support It’s a win-win scenario that makes meaningful connections last

Consider their perspective: What's in it for them? Why should they support you? Does your idea align with their values, vision, or help them achieve their goals? Presenting the benefits from their perspective, rather than solely yours, makes your proposition seem valuable to them and prevents you from appearing overly needy.

Why keep your vision a secret when it could inspire an entire network? Defining it is just the start—sharing it can turn the tide. Have you ever noticed how trust blossoms when you truly listen and learn? It’s about creating that ripple effect, isn’t it? As your vision resonates, your network grows, and suddenly, support comes from the most unexpected places. Don’t we all want to be part of something bigger?

Para fortalecer e avan?ar uma vis?o, é essencial identificar e envolver os stakeholders chave que ser?o afetados ou que podem contribuir significativamente para a sua realiza??o. é importante também desenvolver um plano de a??o estruturado, estabelecendo metas claras, prazos específicos e alocando os recursos apropriados para garantir a implementa??o efetiva da vis?o. Além disso, manter a flexibilidade para se adaptar a mudan?as e comunicar eficazmente tanto os progressos quanto os sucessos s?o passos fundamentais para manter o engajamento e o suporte da rede de contatos.

I believe the first step which is half the battle won is the person should have absolutely unwavering belief in his/her vision and visualise & believe it has happened -the adrenaline you have with this feeling will open doors -synchronicity ?? Secondly laser sharp focus on the vision or goal -keep your eyes on the goal however big or small it is if we maintain this focus the noise falls out through this journey in achieving the goal Thirdly “Dream Big” -when you share your dream with others and if the laugh at you then you are dreaming something big & never shy away -all things start with baby step but beach step takes your forward

These steps are not as sequential as laid out. There is a lot of feedback and back and forth that strengthens the whole process.