Networking

The Introvert's Survival Guide to Actually Enjoying (or at least surviving) Networking Events. I avoid networking events like they're tax audits or root canals. But sometimes you have to show up. (By have to, I mean, your business kind of depends on it.) Here's my "battle-tested" playbook for introverts who'd rather be home cleaning the litter box: Pre-Game Like an Athlete (or a Coward) • Set a timer for 47 minutes Not 45. Not an hour. 47. It's specific enough that you'll honor it. • Create your "Clark Kent Exit Strategy" Park near the exit. Know where the bathrooms are. Have a fake emergency ready. • Arrive unfashionably on-time Not early (too much small talk). Not late (everyone stares). Exactly on time when everyone's distracted. The Art of Strategic Positioning • Become furniture Find a high-top table. Claim it. Let extroverts come to you (they need a place to rest their drinks). • Master "Documentary Mode" Don't network. Observe. You're David Attenborough studying extroverts in their natural habitat. • Power Pose Like a Pro Stand near the food. Everyone comes to you. Plus, mouth full = legitimate reason not to talk. Conversation Hacks for the Socially Exhausted • The "Reverse Interview" Ask them 3 questions. They'll talk for 20 minutes. You nod. They think you're brilliant. "What are you most excited about doing this weekend?" • Deploy the "Introvert Card" "I'm actually an introvert, so this is my Olympics." Be transparently vulnerable. They laugh. Pressure's off. • The "Teaching Pivot" Turn every conversation into a mini-lesson. You're not networking, you're educating. Advanced Introvert Techniques • The "Phone Prop" Hold your phone like you're about to make a call. You look busy but approachable. Or, have a drink in your hand so they have something to do. • Find Another Introvert We can smell our own. Make eye contact with the person hiding by the plants. Form an alliance. You will both be relieved. • The "One Real Conversation" Rule Forget collecting 20 contacts. Have one meaningful conversation. Quality > quantity. The Grand Escape • The Irish Goodbye Just leave. Don't announce it. Disappear like Bruce Wayne. They'll think you're mysterious, not rude. • Leave on a High Had one good conversation? That's enough. You've won. Go home. • Recovery Protocol Schedule nothing for the next day. You've earned 24 hours of silence. Most "successful networkers" are performing too. They're just better actors. Not convinced? There's an alternative. I've built more meaningful connections through content than 1,000 networking events combined. Let people come to you through your content. Like they're doing right now. Who else is team "I'd rather create content than attend another networking mixer"? Drop a like if you've ever hidden in a bathroom stall to recharge. P.S. - My record for "shortest networking event attendance" is 3 minutes. Beat that. P.P.S. - Yes, I once brought a book to a networking event. No, I'm not sorry.

If you think sexuality has no place at work, this post is for you. It’s Pride Month, and I’ll be speaking with teams about LGBTQ inclusion. At almost every session, someone will ask some version of: “Why do we have to talk about this at work?” The simple answer is we already do. But let’s start with a few things that might’ve happened at work just yesterday: You’re waiting for a meeting to start. Someone asks, “How was your weekend?” You spent it with your partner’s family but not everyone on this call knows you’re gay, so you stay quiet. Your team is reviewing new benefits. The language only refers to heterosexual families, so you’re left unsure if fertility, bereavement, or parental leave policies even apply to you. Your team is heading to a conference. You’re the only one delayed at security because your legal ID doesn’t match your name or gender. These aren’t rare or extreme situations. They’re everyday experiences for LGBTQ people. And they’re exhausting. The constant calculation of what's safe to say, what's too much, what will be thought of as "unprofessional" takes up valuable energy. It limits our ability to connect and trust our teams. It impacts our well-being and our ability to perform. So, why do we have to talk about sexuality at work? Because we already are. Every time we talk about families, benefits, weekends, travel, we’re talking about it. During Pride Month, we’re not introducing something new. We’re just making visible the experiences of LGBTQ team members and the extra burdens we may carry. We’re highlighting the assumptions we make and who we leave out when we make them. This isn't about special treatment. This isn't about "politics." This is about how we care for our people. This is about building strong, innovative, high-performing teams where everyone, including LGBTQ people, can thrive. Caring about your people is caring about your business. We want to bring our best to work but we can't do that if we're asked to leave the best parts of ourselves behind. Use this pride month to have these conversations. Review your policies. Host the trainings. Reinforce that everyone on your team will be treated with dignity and respect. Make it explicit. This doesn't have to be complicated but it is intentional. Your teams will thank you. And if you need support, DM me. I've got just a few open slots for pride this month.

In the U.S., you can grab coffee with a CEO in two weeks. In Europe, it might take two years to get that meeting. I ’ve spent years building relationships across both U.S. and European markets, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: networking looks completely different depending on where you are. The way people connect, build trust, and create opportunities is shaped by culture-and if you don’t adapt your approach, you’ll hit walls fast. So, if you're an executive expanding globally, a leader hiring across regions, or a professional trying to break into a new market-this post is for you. The U.S.: Fast, Open, and High-Volume Americans love to network. Connections are made quickly, introductions flow freely, and saying "let's grab coffee" isn’t just polite—it’s expected. - Cold outreach is normal—you can message a top executive on LinkedIn, and they just might say yes. - Speed matters. Business moves fast, so meetings, interviews, and hiring decisions happen quickly. But here’s the catch: Just because you had a great chat doesn’t mean you’ve built a deep relationship. Trust takes follow-ups, consistency, and results. I’ve seen European executives struggle with this—mistaking initial enthusiasm for long-term commitment. In the U.S., networking is about momentum—you have to keep showing up, adding value, and staying top of mind. In Europe, networking is a long game. If you don’t have an introduction, it’s much harder to get in the door. - Warm introductions matter. Cold outreach? Much tougher. Senior leaders prefer to meet through trusted referrals—someone who can vouch for you. - Fewer, deeper relationships. Once trust is built, it’s strong and lasting—but it takes time to get there. - Decisions take longer. Whether it’s hiring, partnerships, or leadership moves, things don’t happen overnight—expect a longer courtship period. I’ve seen U.S. executives enter the European market and get frustrated fast—wondering why it’s taking months (or years!) to break into leadership circles. But that’s how the market works. The key to winning in Europe? Patience, credibility, and long-term thinking. So, What Does This Mean for Global Leaders? If you’re an American executive expanding into Europe… 📌 Be patient. One meeting won’t seal the deal—you have to earn trust over time. 📌 Get introductions. A warm referral is worth more than 100 cold emails. 📌 Don’t push too hard. European business culture favors depth over speed—respect the process. If you’re a European leader entering the U.S. market… 📌 Don’t wait for permission—reach out. People expect direct outreach and initiative. 📌 Follow up fast. If you’re slow to respond, the opportunity moves on without you. 📌 Be ready to show value quickly. Americans won’t wait months to see if you’re a fit. Networking isn’t just about who you know—it’s about how you build relationships. #Networking #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #CareerGrowth #GlobalBusiness #US #Europe

The salesperson of the future isn’t just a seller. They are a creator and a builder. When I was in sales, I’d constantly ask marketing to publish some of my content ideas as a way to reach prospects. I’d chase our sales engineers for custom demos to make interactions feel personal and relevant. They got what I was asking for, but eventually, stopped replying. Honestly, I get it - they could'nt respond to every sales request. If I were starting over in sales today, I’d do things differently. I would be a creator and I would hit “post” myself. The best salespeople I know build trust by sharing what they see: their customers’ challenges, market trends, and lessons from the field. They’re turning LinkedIn into their most powerful sales channel. According to HubSpot’s State of Sales report, salespeople now consider social media their most effective sales channel. And instead of leaning on sales engineers, I’d build what I need. With AI and no-code tools, that’s finally possible. Salespeople are designing custom demos, using synthetic data in demos, experimenting with AI agents, and creating smoother buying experiences, all on their own. The job has changed. The old boundaries are gone. The new salesperson isn’t waiting for support — they’re building it. They’re creators. Builders. Sellers. And, maybe, a little easier to work with for their friends in marketing and sales engineering.

I used to be awful at networking. Then I discovered creative ways to add value that allowed me to connect with influencers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs. Here are 10 of my favorites: 1. Share a piece of their advice with your team, friends, or class (then tell them what you did). 2. Ask them for advice, then take action on it and follow up with your results. 3. Share recommendations for a common personal interest. 4. Consistently engage with their content on social media. 5. Offer to have them come speak to your team or class. 6. Write a valuable comment or post and tag them in it. 7. Ask to interview them for a blog post or podcast. 8. Write a recommendation for them on LinkedIn. 9. Make a mutually beneficial introduction. 10. Compliment them on a career change. The best part? Anyone can use these. No experience required.

Being surrounded by the right people is the best hack for ultimate growth. Your circle determines your ceiling. Everything shifted when I found mentors who were 10x my level. Their "normal" became my new baseline. Their problems became my new targets. Their thinking became my new standard. Environment is stronger than willpower. Here are 6 ways to upgrade your circle today: 1. Join Communities of High-Performers Seek environments where excellence is the minimum standard, not the exception. I've found that when you're the least accomplished person in the room, your growth accelerates exponentially. High-performance communities create natural accountability that no app or system can replicate. 2. Attend Events Where Your Heroes Gather The magic rarely happens during the presentations, it's in the lobby conversations, the dinners after, the unexpected connections. I met one of my most influential mentors not during his keynote, but while waiting for coffee at an event I almost didn't attend. Proximity creates possibility. 3. Create Value Before Asking The moment you shift from "what can I get?" to "what can I give?" everything changes. I spent six months helping others in my industry before ever asking for anything in return. This approach built a reservoir of goodwill that continues to overflow years later. 4. Share Your Work Publicly Building in public isn't just about transparency, it's about signaling. When you openly share your journey, values, and systems, you naturally attract aligned people while filtering out those who don't resonate. My most valuable relationships began when someone reached out after seeing something I'd shared. 5. Be Genuinely Curious Curiosity is the hidden superpower in relationship-building. I've found that asking thoughtful questions and truly listening creates deeper connections than any amount of impressive talking. People remember the person who made them feel understood, not the one who tried to sound intelligent. 6. Invest in Relationships The relationships that transformed my business weren't built over a single coffee meeting, they developed through consistent investment over time. I block time every week specifically for relationship nurturing, treating it with the same importance as any business-critical activity. I've seen this play out over and over with founders in our community. When they upgrade their circle, their business transforms almost automatically. Your network isn't just your net worth. It's your thinking, your standards, your opportunities, your energy, and ultimately, your future. Who are you surrounding yourself with? __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want to become better at networking? Join our community of 172,000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/e7xR_ZTu

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

Networking can open doors…or close them. Avoid these 7 mistakes to make the right impression. 1. Only networking when you need something ❌ Don't: Wait until you're job hunting to build connections ✅ Do: Regularly engage with your network and build relationships before you need them 2. Neglecting to follow up on advice ❌ Don't: Take someone's advice and disappear ✅ Do: Take action on their suggestions and circle back to share your progress. Show them their time mattered 3. Dominating the conversation ❌ Don't: Dominate conversations with your own achievements ✅ Do: Ask thoughtful questions and practice active listening. Aim for 30% talking, 70% listening 4. Rushing to ask about jobs ❌ Don't: Don’t rush to ask about job openings right away ✅ Do: Focus on learning about their experience and building genuine rapport first 5. Ignoring online networking ❌ Don't: Treat LinkedIn as just a resume database ✅ Do: Engage meaningfully by commenting on posts, sharing relevant content, and celebrating others' milestones 6. Forgetting to add value ❌ Don't: Focus solely on what you can get from the relationship ✅ Do: Learn about their goals and actively look for ways to help them succeed 7. Letting connections fade ❌ Don't: Let valuable connections fade away ✅ Do: Create a simple system to track check-ins and send quick, personalized notes about their achievements The key to successful networking isn't just about making connections. It's about nurturing them. Reshare ♻ to help others in your network. And follow me for more posts like this.

It’s not about collecting business cards or follower counts. It’s about building bridges with people who get it - who challenge you, inspire you, and open doors you didn’t know existed. The right network doesn’t just grow your career - it expands your mindset, your confidence, and your opportunities. Here are 12 ways to build powerful, authentic connections: 1️⃣ Lead with curiosity. Ask, don’t pitch. People love being seen and heard. 2️⃣ Add value first. Share insights, introductions, or encouragement before asking for anything. 3️⃣ Show up consistently. Comment, engage, and participate where your industry hangs out. 4️⃣ Find your communities. Join professional groups, Slack channels, or niche forums. 5️⃣ Attend events strategically. Go where your next mentor, collaborator, or client might actually be. 6️⃣ Follow up. A short, thoughtful message can turn a conversation into a relationship. 7️⃣ Be generous with your expertise. Give more than you take - it builds reputation fast. 8️⃣ Don’t chase status. The best opportunities often come from peers, not big titles. 9️⃣ Stay authentic. Pretending to be someone you’re not is the fastest way to disconnect. 1️⃣0️⃣ Keep it human. Share stories, not sales pitches. 1️⃣1️⃣ Support others publicly. Celebrate others’ wins - it builds goodwill that lasts. 1️⃣2️⃣ Play the long game. Relationships compound like interest; nurture them with time. The truth? You’re one conversation away from a completely different path. Image credit: Tim Stoddart

I recently wished a senior woman I was coaching with would get fired. Not because she was bad at her job. Because she was too comfortable in it. No network outside her company. No visibility beyond her title. No presence anywhere that would survive a restructure. She had the role, the salary, the seniority. And absolutely nothing to fall back on if it disappeared tomorrow. This makes me furious. Not just at her. At myself. Because I see myself in her. I was that woman. Arrogant enough to think I'd always be in demand. Untouchable. Too busy being successful to prepare for a world where that success could vanish overnight. I didn't prepare. Then my first redundancy hit. And I learned what "safe" actually means: nothing. The data backs up what I learned the hard way: → Women are 1.6x more likely to be laid off than men → 70% of jobs are never posted - they're filled through networks → 85% of all positions come through personal connections → For the first time in 20 years, women lost C-suite seats in 2023 And yet. Senior women who think the position they have today will protect them forever. Who believe loyalty and performance are enough. Who haven't updated their LinkedIn in four years because "I'm not looking." You're not looking. But the market is always looking at you. And right now, it can't find you. The tremors you're ignoring: • You have no relationships with decision-makers outside your company • Your network is your team - people who can't hire you • You haven't posted, spoken, or been visible anywhere in years • Your entire professional identity lives inside one company's org chart You tell yourself you're secure. That's not confidence. That's complacency dressed up as stability. I've watched executives with 20-year tenures get walked out in 15 minutes. I've coached women who hit every target for a decade and still got cut. I've seen "safe" disappear overnight. The woman I wished would get fired? I wished it because a crisis might be the only thing that wakes her up. The way it woke me up. Harsh? Yes. But watching talented women sleepwalk into irrelevance while the numbers scream at them is worse. Your job isn't your safety net. Your visibility is. Your network is. Your ability to be known beyond your current role is. What have you been putting off because you thought you had time? #careerquake