Who Do You Have In Your Career Corner?

Have you ever asked yourself "what rooms do I need to be in to help with my career growth?"

Here's the thing, we are not meant to do all of our growth and career development on our own. Actually, if you try to do it all your own, you are most likely not going to be able to reach the levels you desire.

Building relationships and networking is KEY to your growth as a leader, whether you are climbing the Corporate ladder, or you are developing a business.

Have you ever heard the saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Well personally I think the "what" is still important however, we often underestimate the true power of the "who" we know.

When I think about my own career, I know I never would have gotten the positions, opportunities, and growth had I not worked on building relationships and networking.

Absolutely true when it comes to growing my business--it is all about the connections. It has opened doors for opportunities, created a sense of community and connection as I navigated a new space, created relationships of people to ask questions and support me through struggles, and given me inspiration for what I can achieve.

When you get people in your corner of your growth, they will be your biggest cheerleaders, they will drop your name in rooms, and they will push you to achieve more.

I challenge you to even focus on getting in rooms that scare you. Rooms of people that are much further than you and are doing what you want to do. It pushes you, challenges you, and it shows you what is possible.

Benefits of Building Your Network

• Creates more connections & opportunities
• A support system
• Ripple effect-keeps expanding your network
• People that will cheer you on, motivate you, and PUSH you
• Aspirational-surrounding yourself with people that show you what is possible, that you aspire to be, and doing things you aspire to do
• Opens your eyes to new ways of doing things
• Gets your name out there-the more people you know, the more your name gets dropped in rooms for opportunities

The list could go on and on..

Here's one thing I want you to STOP doing.

STOP avoiding getting in front of people that intimidate you.

Often when people are growing in their career, they look to some leaders or some people doing things they desire and they start to feel the need to compare. Or, as is human tendency, the need to judge.

"How did THEY get to that level?"

"What do people see in them?"

"They only are that successful because.."

"I will never be able to do that."

It's usually our own ego coming up and I want to share with you something that really can be life-changing that I once heard someone say.

If you have someone that intimidates you, or triggers you because of their success, make yourself CLOSER to them.

Instead of avoiding them, judging them, comparing yourself to them, wondering how they do it..actually put yourself in closer proximity to them.

That could be joining a group they are in, striking up a conversation, asking to have coffee with them.

What this will do is usually it will humanize them for you, you will see they are just a regular person, and it will allow you to spend your energy learning from them, instead of judging them or comparing yourself to them.

When I heard this piece of advice it really pushed me personally to stop letting that comparison game run the show, and opened up my curiosity to learn from them.

Ways To Build Your Network

• Join a new group, networking group, organization
• Make it a goal to meet x number of new people a week
• Ask someone for coffee
• Ask for people in your network to introduce you to someone you've been wanting to meet or connect with
• Attend different social functions/events that you haven't to expand your circle
• Jump in to help with a new project
• and the biggest tip..if you want people to refer others to you, to share your name with others, then you should do it for others!

One of the best ways to grow your network and have people dropping your name for opportunities, is to start doing it for them!

Your Challenge: What can you do in the next few weeks that will expand your network, add people to your "career corner", and expand your opportunities?

Check out my recent podcast episode "Room To Grow: How To Get Into Rooms of Successful People and Make The Most Of It" for more TIPS:

You can also check out the full videos on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQx1tAZpAmaaVfgPVx8sXtQ

Ways to Work With Me:

I offer 1:1 Executive & High Performance Coaching to leaders and sessions for teams, as well as Keynote events.

Set up your Free Discovery call here, or message me to connect:

https://calendly.com/julie-599/discovery-call

*Be sure to Subscribe to The Confident Leader Newsletter to stay connected and for all your leadership tips!**

-Julie Menden is an Executive & High Performance Coach & Speaker who helps executives, teams, and business leaders reach their peak performance. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, a contributing author in the book "Peak Performance: Mindset Tools For Leaders", and the host of the?"It Starts With You" Podcast".?

#networking #buildingrelationships #leadershipdevelopment #careergrowth