Jackie, certified leadership coach and award-winning author, draws from her extensive IBM journey, rising from entry-level to executive. Passionate about fostering positive, sustainable growth, she provides leaders with a unique, firsthand perspective and proven strategies for career advancement.
Networking is crucial for career development, but many women leaders find it challenging. Common concerns include feeling inauthentic, time commitment, discomfort with self-promotion, fear of rejection, and unclear objectives. I understand these challenges firsthand. It wasn’t until I became a first-line leader that I realized the importance of networking and decided to shift my mindset from personal gain to building genuine relationships. This change allowed me to approach networking with mutual benefit and curiosity.
Simplifying networking
To make networking more manageable and enjoyable, I simplified it into three types—operational, personal, and strategic networking. By breaking it down, you can focus on each type and integrate them into a winning strategy.
Operational networking
Operational networking focuses on building relationships within your organization to achieve short-term goals. This involves collaborating with your team, supervisors, peers, and even external partners like suppliers and clients.
Example
Imagine you're a project manager collaborating closely with your team, vendors, and clients to ensure a project’s success. Effectively communicating and collaborating with these groups can streamline processes, solve problems quickly, and deliver success outcomes.
As you move into leadership roles, your network will expand to include external contacts focused on future objectives.
Benefits
Efficiency and Collaboration: Streamlined workflows and effective problem-solving.
Trust and Reliability: Strong internal trust leading to smoother operations.
Resource Access: Easier access to internal resources and support.
Personal networking
Personal networking extends beyond work, encompassing contacts within your personal circles, such as professional associations, alumni groups, clubs, and communities related to personal interests. These networks provide referrals, information, and developmental support, offering a safe space for personal growth and problem-solving.
Example
An engineer who is a member of a professional engineering association can gain insights into industry trends, receive job referrals, and find mentors or peers to discuss career development. This network provides emotional support and career guidance, helping them navigate their career path more effectively.
Benefits
Emotional Support: A safety net for discussing challenges and seeking advice.
Career Development: Access to mentors and industry insights.
Broader Perspective: Exposure to different ideas and approaches from outside the organization.
Strategic networking
Strategic networking is crucial as you evolve into a business leader. It involves engaging with diverse stakeholders to address broad strategic issues and align contributions with business objectives. Strategic networkers build coalitions and networks to drive initiatives to completion and use indirect influence to shape networks to meet business goals.
Example
A senior executive might cultivate relationships with industry leaders, policymakers, and influential figures across different sectors. These connections provide valuable insights into market trends, regulatory changes, and potential collaborations, enabling the executive to steer their organization toward long-term success.
Benefits
Strategic Insights: Access to high-level industry and market intelligence.
Influence and Advocacy: Ability to shape policies and industry standards.
Long-term Success: Building alliances that support the organization's strategic goals.
Now that you understand how to simplify networking using these three forms of networking, take some time to identify the key players in each group and determine how to integrate these three forms of networking to help you build a power network that advances your career.
7 tips to effectively integrate these forms of networking
Set clear goals and prioritize relationships
Define what you hope to achieve through networking, whether it's learning new skills, finding mentors, or exploring job opportunities. Clear objectives can provide direction and motivation.
If your goal is to transition into a leadership role within the next two years, focus strategic networking efforts with senior executives (strategic), industry peers and influencers (personal), and team members (operational) who can support your career advancement.
Set specific monthly goals for attending internal team meetings (operational), connecting with alumni and professional groups (personal), and engaging with industry leaders (strategic).
Prioritize meaningful connections over the number of contacts. Building a few strong relationships can be more beneficial than having a large superficial network.
Leverage online platforms
Use social media and professional networking sites like LinkedIn to connect with others. Join industry groups and engage in online conversations.
Continuously learn and adapt
Stay updated with industry trends and best practices. Engage in continuous learning through seminars, workshops, and industry events.
Develop a networking calendar and routine
To ensure consistency and effectiveness, establish a plan for your networking activities. Schedule regular meetings, events, and follow-ups across your operational, personal, and strategic networks. This approach helps to maintain momentum and fosters ongoing engagement.
For example, schedule monthly networking lunches with industry contacts (strategic), quarterly coffee meetings with alumni (personal), and bi-weekly team-building activities with your department (operational).
Seek opportunities for mutual benefits
Approach networking as a two-way exchange where both parties derive value. Share resources or provide insights that benefit your contacts. Actively seeking opportunities to contribute to their success strengthens relationships and builds trust.
For example, offer to share industry insights with a colleague (operational) who reciprocates with project support. Extend support to a professional contact (strategic) by connecting them with a potential client in exchange for strategic advice.
Build your support team
Identify Sponsors, Mentors, Coaches and Advocates to support you.
The Sponsor is the person who will recommend you for opportunities to gain more visibility with the Senior Leadership Team.
Mentors have done what you want to do and can provide valuable insights into your career plan.
Coaches will ask you powerful questions like where do you want to go, what’s important to you, what are your values to make sure that the culture is the right fit for you.
Advocates utilize a position of privilege, but rather than just providing support, an advocate will defend, write, or speak on your behalf to ensure fair and accurate representation.
Evaluate and refine your networking strategy regularly
Continuously assess the impact and effectiveness of your networking efforts.
Review your progress toward career goals, solicit feedback from mentors and peers, and adapt your strategy based on lessons learned. Stay agile and responsive to evolving professional opportunities and challenges.
In conclusion, cultivating a power network is as much an art as a science. It requires a strategic, deliberate approach with an open-mind and a genuine desire to connect. By integrating these tips into your networking approach and understanding the interconnected dynamics of the three forms of networking, you can effectively leverage your network to advance your career, broaden your professional influence, and achieve long-term success.
Remember, the true testament of a powerful network isn’t who you are, but how they know you – as a committed, resourceful, and trustworthy professional.
Are you ready to take the first step towards positioning yourself to be competitive in the workplace? Implement these strategies and tools to grow your network. If you are a professional aspiring to advance in your career as a leader, grab my Free Leadership Signature Workbook to help you uncover and amplify your unique leadership style. If you’re ready to embark on this journey, book a coaching call today. Let’s work together to empower you to be the best that you can be.
Happy Networking!
Read more from Jackie Stallings Evans
Jackie Stallings Evans, Leadership Coach and Solutions Strategist
Jackie, a certified ICF and BCC leadership coach and award-winning author, is dedicated to helping leaders achieve sustainable growth. Rising from entry-level to executive at IBM, she brings a distinctive understanding of the challenges faced by individuals as the only person of color and woman in the room. With her own coaching company, Jackie crafted the Rising Leader Model, informed by real-world challenges and successes. This model equips leaders with proven tools and strategies, honed through her experiences and those of her clients, to navigate and succeed in their careers.
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