Building External Influence

Here are some suggestions for how you can enhance your skills in the leadership behaviours of Building External Influence:

• It may be that your role does not explicitly give you the opportunity to network, or that “networking” is something you feel is not part of your skill set. Networking is, however, a skill that can be developed informally within your role and enacted subtly, rather than in an overly obvious manner.
• Take the time to make a note of relationships that you feel would benefit you and the organisation, including why these are potentially important. Consider how you could start reaching out to make contact or build stronger relationships.
• Consider joining the network of a skilled networker; attend events that they attend and join them in conversation, and with other attendees
• If you belong to a professional association or body and it’s relevant to your work, attend their events.
• An effective way of expanding one’s network, or promoting your work or that of your team/organisation, is by writing an article, or attending workshops and conferences on an area of interest, and/or contacting speakers or other attendees to strengthen your relationship and contacts, and opportunities.
• Journalists and publications are always looking for copy. You can encourage members of your team/organisation to raise their profile and that of the team/organisation by submitting an article on a particular achievement of the team/organisation, or an unusual project on which they are working. You may wish to co-write the article. This might also lead to enquiries by readers and other organisations, and even requests for addressing other audiences, groups, or organisations.
• Seek advice from a trusted colleague who you respect for their networking skills on how you might start to build these relationships. Perhaps you could do some role play with this person to help you practice some of the skills you may have identified you need to develop.
• Once you have started taking action in this area, make a note of how you feel the relationships are developing. Try and get feedback on how you are doing from the trusted colleague identified above.