Facing Challenges? Look to Your Network

Many mid-level and senior leaders recognize the importance of have a network of diverse relationships.?A good network is critical for gaining broader perspectives and specialized expertise when coming up with solutions to challenging issues. Yet, even with this knowledge, many struggle to take the time to develop relationships with people beyond those they connect with regularly to get work done.

Why Networks Matter Now

I find that the topic of reaching out to people in one’s network comes up in conversations on a variety of issues that executives are facing.??Some executives are in the process of leaving companies and negotiating their “exit” packages, others are negotiating their “entrance” to new positions and/or employers, some are thinking strategically about ensuring that the next job they take positions them for the C-suite, and all are dealing with the reality of returning to in-person work scenarios and figuring out how to manage their time so that they can contribute fully at work without sacrificing their lives outside of work.?

All these challenges are anxiety producing, even those that are seen as positive opportunities that executives are going after.?Research indicates that one attribute of resilient people is that they nurture and leverage social connections.?Those connections are a wellspring of moral support, new ideas, and positive reinforcement and can help to shift our thinking towards possibilities rather than on challenges.

TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

Let’s look at each executive’s challenge and how their networks are supporting them.

Negotiating exits:?For those who are exiting organizations, exits are bringing relief to them, even if they haven’t identified their next job, because they’re escaping what they’ve come to realize was a toxic work environment. ?They were so focused on getting things done, that they were blind to the negative environment in which they were trying to operate. The messages and actions of their employers as they exit have brought the negative behavior they’d experienced at work into full view. In addition to negotiating their exit to ensure that they receive what they’re due, they’re wary about taking that next job. Understandably, they don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past.

It can be hard to seek advice from others when in a vulnerable place such as this, but the executives who have done so have benefited from great advice and moral support. This includes specialized expertise such as legal advice (how negotiate with the employer you are leaving), broader perspective such as career advice (consider filling interim/”acting” roles at first), and emotional support (acknowledgement that the executive is great at what she does and an asset to anyone who hires her).?

Negotiating entrances:?Many executives have taken advantage of the current job market and are either negotiating with prospective employers or have landed at a new place and are glad they’ve made the move.?There are always pros and cons these executives weigh when agreeing to take that next job.?

They’ve found support from their network in identifying what to ask for, what to look out for, how to get clear on the “must haves” vs. the “nice to haves” and how to go about asking for what they need.?Those who are outside your immediate situation can give perspective, share their experience, and recommend resources you would not otherwise have considered.

Strategic positioning:?One executive told of how she was considering looking for a position at the next level at a Fortune 500 company, thinking that this was what she needed to do to be seen as a candidate for a C-suite role.?She wasn’t excited by the prospect of working in a large, bureaucratic organization after having been in larger, more complex roles in smaller, nimbler companies.?However, she had spoken with people who advised her to get recent Fortune 500 experience, despite having had that experience earlier in her career.

Others in her network challenged that assumption. They perceived that she already had what was needed to take a C-suite role at a smaller company. She had made some assumptions about those possibilities and thought that there wouldn’t be investment made in the long-term growth of such businesses, so this wasn’t an avenue she’d considered. Her conversations with others caused her to revisit those assumptions.?It opened the door to other alternatives that she might not have otherwise investigated.

Reintegration:?Many people are transitioning from a mostly virtual to more of a hybrid working approach.?They may not be working in an office with coworkers all week, but many are back to commuting at least part of the week and their business travel has picked up as well.?Over the past 2+ years, they experienced complete work/life integration.?There were pros and cons with that, but they adjusted and settled into that new way of working. They have been more productive because they’ve been able to get work done during hours that would have otherwise been spent commuting. They’ve been able to flex their days to be available to their families – more effectively balancing work and home demands.?But they worked more hours, since they were available to do so.

They are now trying to return to routines that no longer suit their realities.?New demands on their time and attention at home didn’t exist two or three years ago. At the same time they’ve managed increased work-related demands on their time when they worked from home and those demands haven’t diminished. They can’t just jump back into working the way they did in 2019.

Their network relationships are supporting them with empathy and compassion as well as guidance on setting priorities and establishing boundaries.?Many in the network share the same challenges and concerns.?By reaching out to people they trust -- people who don’t have their own agendas to consider when it comes to interacting with each other -- executives get the moral support and creative thinking that help them through trying times.

“I KNOW I SHOULD, BUT I DON’T BECAUSE…”

The subject of developing a diverse network of trusting relationships comes up in just about every career conversation with executives. They understand that it’s important to build an effective network, but just can’t seem to make that happen.

Senior leaders want to be seen as capable so they’ll be selected for that next, great role.?They often put a premium on taking on “more” assignments so they can demonstrate their value.?In so doing, they become very busy, but wonder whether their contributions are being recognized, as they expect. Taking the time to develop and maintain effective network relationships is typically seen as “one more thing to do” and as something that doesn’t have an immediate benefit.

Busy executives often prioritize the work they are doing to complete important assignments over the work involved in developing and maintaining a diverse, trusted network.?While being strategic about developing and managing their network has been shown to be instrumental in their ability to remove barriers that impede their ability to advance their business priorities, executives may not see a ?clear line of sight between their network and the achievement of their current, operational goals.?In other words, they are caught up in the day-to-day (all those projects they took on to demonstrate their worth) and aren’t building the relationships that are instrumental to their longer-term success.

Typical barriers to network development include: “I don’t want to bother them.”?“They won’t understand the situation and can’t offer any useful guidance.”?“I already know what they are going to say.” “I don’t want to appear needy/vulnerable.”?“I don’t have the time.” “I don’t have a business/work-related reason to talk with them.” If this sounds familiar, your self-talk is getting in the way of accessing and contributing to important relationships.

DEVELOPING AND LEVERAGING YOUR NETWORK:

You will need to find ways to overcome barriers to developing diverse, personal relationships.?Here are some actions you can take.

Don’t sell yourself short. ?You have knowledge, experience, and perspectives that can be of value to others. Remember that you are developing relationships for the long term, not for the immediate transaction. Make the relationships mutually supportive so that you aren’t reaching out only when you need something.

Connect with the person, not the role.?Show an interest in the other person. Be considerate of them and sensitive to their situation. If you are to create a mutually beneficial relationship, be prepared to be understanding, thoughtful, and supportive. Be sure that your advice is sought, before giving it. Express your appreciation for the support they provide you.

Find the gift.?You’ll need to overcome any negative self-talk around reaching out to others to initiate a relationship or to ask for help.?Identify something about that outreach/interaction that you can get excited about and look forward to. For example, is there a topic of common interest where sharing the latest discoveries would be fun?

Be open.?Assuming that you know how others are likely to feel about connecting with you or what they might say on any given topic is a sure way to stop you from reaching out.?It’s important to be open to testing your assumptions.?You may just be pleasantly surprised.

Create a habit.?It doesn’t need to take a lot of time to form and maintain a great network.?It’s more of a marathon than a sprint.?It can sometimes feel overwhelming, so break it down into smaller steps and put a little time in your calendar to look over your contacts, send an email, and schedule a call.?Be patient and persistent, you may need to reschedule a few times and that’s OK.

Be a team player.?When many executives take on new roles, they look to bring on new members of their leadership team.?They often reach out to those they already know and trust.?If you want to position yourself to be considered for that next great role, it’s important that you be considered someone that others want on their team.?It’s not just about showing you are competent in your area of expertise; it’s about being a person that others want to work with.

Be a connecter.?It’s likely that others in your network are interested in building their networks as well.?Consider what introductions you can make to support more than one person in your network. Is there a topic that several people would like to explore with people outside of their own circle??Consider hosting a conversation for a group of your contacts.?It’s a great way to check in with multiple people at once.