What's your secret to building a diverse and inclusive commercial leasing network?

1 Identify your goals

Before you reach out to potential contacts, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from your network. Do you want to find new clients, partners, or mentors? Do you want to learn new skills, insights, or trends? Do you want to support or advocate for a specific cause or group? Having specific and realistic goals will help you focus your efforts and communicate your value proposition to others.

2 Expand your horizons

One of the challenges of building a diverse and inclusive network is overcoming your own biases and assumptions. You may tend to gravitate towards people who are similar to you, or who belong to your existing circles. However, this can limit your exposure and growth potential. To broaden your network, you need to seek out and engage with people who have different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. You can do this by attending events, joining online platforms, or asking for introductions from mutual contacts.

4 Provide value and support

A network is not a one-way street, but a reciprocal relationship. You need to provide value and support to your contacts, as well as receive them. This can take various forms, such as sharing resources, referrals, feedback, or opportunities. You can also offer your skills, expertise, or time to help them with their projects or challenges. By being generous and helpful, you can demonstrate your credibility and reliability, and strengthen your bonds.