Building A Strategic Network To Get Promoted

Building a?strategic network?will help you get?promoted. According to?ADP, only 8.9% of employees will be promoted by their companies each year. This is because allies and advocates are the people who will connect you to leaders within your company and others. These connections can help you level up your career. The key is to be strategic when building your network.

Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a?Soulcast Media | LIVE event?on LinkedIn, where she interviewed Executive Coach and Bestselling Author,?Bonnie Marcus.

They shared tips and personal stories about how to build a strategic network.?This?Soulcast Media | LIVE?event is brought to you by our amazing sponsors at?Sabobatage.

Sabobatage?is a strategic tabletop game inspired by boba, also known as bubble tea or pearl milk tea. Have you or a friend ever said, ‘I wish I had a boba shop and could drink boba all day?’ Make those dreams come true with this card game that’s fun with your friends and perfect for the whole family.

1. TOP OF MIND

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE event, Jessica and Bonnie talked about how many people feel that if they keep their heads down and do their work, they will be seen. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. As Bonnie pointed out, most people are too busy with their own jobs to see anyone else. If you want to build a strategic network to help you get promoted, you will need to stay top of mind.

Consider the following:

• Volunteer?– Building a strategic network requires meeting more than just the people on your floor or within your department. One of the easiest ways to meet others is volunteering for a project.
• Ask Where You Can Help?– If you want the decision makers within your organization to keep you top of mind, consider asking them where you can help.
• Give Your Thoughts?– During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica shared a tip about staying top of mind. She said sometimes giving your thoughts every once in a while can remind people of you.

??We recommend the e-course,?“Managing Your Professional Network”?to help you build relationships and stay connected.

Staying top of mind will help you begin to build a strategic network. The more leaders within your organization see and hear from you, the more credibility you build.

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2. CONNECT WITH LEADERS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

Connecting with leaders within your organization will help you build a strategic network. These relationships can help you get promoted. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Bonnie shared about how almost all of her promotions came from the strategic network she had built.

Consider the following:

• Be Authentic?–?Authenticity is how relationships are built. To build a strategic network, you need to ensure you are authentic. This means building a rapport first, and then making any kind of ask.
• Ask About Them?– People love to talk about themselves. One of the easiest ways to connect with others within your organization is to ask about them.
• Schedule Time?– You may not work on the same floor or even the same building as the person you hope to connect with. If this is the case, you will need to schedule a time to meet with them. You can ask them to go for coffee or ask for fifteen minutes of their time. Make sure you keep in mind their schedule. If it is a hectic season for their department, you may want to wait until things slow down before asking.

In our e-course,?The Art Of Communication, you will learn to communicate with others authentically.

Being authentic will help you build a strategic network of leaders within your organization.

?3. BE INTENTIONAL

Making connections and building a strategic network takes time and effort. You need to be intentional. This means looking at ways you can boost your visibility within your company. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Bonnie suggested looking at what your company offers in terms of visibility, and utilizing those programs to your advantage.

Consider the following:

• Committees?– Many companies have committees that employees are encouraged to join. Being on a committee can increase your visibility and help you meet others within your organization.
• Have A Plan?– One way to be intentional about building a strategic network is to write down your visibility plan. In our LinkedIn Learning e-course,?Building Visibility As A Remote Leader,?you will learn how to create your own visibility plan. For example, your visibility plan could be to volunteer to lead a meeting. Or, you could offer assistance on a project. Having a plan makes all of your decisions more intentional which will help you advance your career.
• Create A Project?– Your company may not offer opportunities for you to build relationships with others quickly. If this is the case, you may have to develop your own project.

Being intentional will help you build your strategic network. Make a plan for yourself to be seen. The more you are seen, the more connections you will make.

Building a strategic network will help you connect with the right people within your organization. These connections will help you get promoted.

Click here to read the full article.

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If you want to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Bonnie’s conversation, check out?Jessica’s Youtube Channel.

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Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways we can help you:

1. Discover your?communications style,?so you know where to start. Over 4,000 people have found theirs?here.
2. Attend our?monthly communication workshop?to build communications confidence?(new topics: public speaking, advocating for yourself, building credibility, etc)?here.
3. Get your brand in front of 43k+ people by?sponsoring our newsletter or Soulcast Media | LIVE LinkedIn events?[contact: [email protected]]

Join us for an exciting Soulcast Media | LIVE event on Thursday, February 23rd! This event is free to attend! Click here to save your spot!

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Be sure to follow Jessica Chen on?LinkedIn?and?Instagram?for regular communications tips you can use at work immediately!?Her videos can also be seen on?YouTube.

If you'd like to learn more about our communications services and how we work with individuals and companies, check out our website:?www.soulcastmedia.com.?