This was a session delivered by Prof Conor Neill to the IESE Business School Alumni Learning Program in February 2021. There are 3 types of network that successful leaders develop during the course of their career.

1. How Leaders Network
Professor Conor Neill, President of Vistage Spain

2. Today’s Objectives
• Connection and Motivation
• 4 Big Trends affecting Life and
Careers (and Coronavirus…)
• How Leaders Network: The 3
types of Network; 7 Paths to
Effective Networking
• Commit to Building Trusted
Reciprocal Relationships
• How to hold a 20 minute
concise networking meeting

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Relationships vs Transactions

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“You become the
average of the 5
people you spend
most time with”.
Jim Rohn

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Four Big Trends
From Herminia Ibarra, Expert in Career Transitions,
Professor at London Business School
Technology
Facilitating/Disrupting
The “Gig economy”
Working from home
Longevity
Living healthy longer
Reinventing Retirement
Work Change
Corporations restructuring
You are CEO of your life
Portfolio Careers
Social
Expectations
Jobs beyond paycheck
Seeking meaning
Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose
Corona
virus
Coronavirus
Accelerant – A decade of change in a year
Pause for many to reflect
“Is this what I want?”

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Longevity: Life Satisfaction over our Lives
From Professor Arthur Brooks of Harvard Business School

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§ Access to Jobs
o 70% of all Jobs obtained through
network
o More than 80% of Executive
Roles (US Bureau of Labor
Statistics)
§ Job Success and Personal Fulfilment
o Power – Access to information,
resources, budget, opportunities
o Personal Fulfilment
• Connection
• Significance
Why is Networking Important?
§ Experiences
§ MC - “You’ve been here 7 years… Why
don’t I know you?”
§ CN – “Do you speak Spanish? Do you
know anyone? Why on Earth would a
Spanish company hire you?”
§ JJ – “You will never get another CEO role
like the one you just left… at this level it
works through personal relationships…
you never took the time to connect, to be
seen, to help others”
§ Jim Collins – “Return on Luck… and the
most important type of luck: Who luck”

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REQUIRES INTENTIONAL EFFORT
Operational
Get Work Done
Get work done efficiently
Identify individuals who can
block or support a Project;
people in your work teams; in
your training classes
Personal
Get Work Done Right
Develop profesional skills
through coaching and
mentoring; Exchange
important referrals and
needed outside information
Participate in profesional
associations, alumni groups,
clubs, personal interest
communities; civic groups
Strategic
Get Right Work Done
Figure out future priorities and
challenges; get stakeholder
support
Identify lateral and vertical
relationships with people
outside your immediate
environment who can help
you determine how your
career and contribution fit into
an overall picture
The 3 Types of Network
From ”How Leaders Create and Use Networks” Herminia
Ibarra and Mark Hunter, 2008 HBR article

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Personal Advisory Board
Write down the names of the 8
people you would have on your
personal advisory board.
“Return on Relationships”
Write down the names of the 20
people whose support could
transform your project, business,
career or life over the next 3 years.
Verne Harnish
Intentional Relationship Building
Write it down

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The Trust Equation
Building Relationships of Trust
T
Trust
C
Credibility
R
Reliability
I
Intimacy
S
Self-
Orientation
=
+ +

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7 Paths
To Effective
Networking
Interdependence
Network gets
Work done
Longevity
Compound
Returns
Reciprocity
Give & Take
Similarity
Find common
interests
Proximity
Start with who
You know
Cross-Fertilization
Personal to Strategic
Sociability
Passion is
Contagious
https://learninghub.iese.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IESE-Insight-Networking-in-Seven-Simple-Steps.pdf

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§ Common Fears around Networking:
o favour asking
o We fear "taking others time"
o Name dropping / selling
o Shy or Introverted
§ Why won't others be open to network?
o unfocussed or purely social
o No agenda
o takes more time than promised
Why is Networking Difficult?
§ Network is a skill
§ How to Overcome these Difficulties
o Mindset – “The Infinite Game”
o Be Concise
o Ask Good Questions
o Avoid Common Mistakes

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You want 3 things from a networking meeting
1. get a little information
2. a few more names
3. recruit an evangelist (aka strategic partner)
5 Keys to a Good Meeting
1. Great first impression
2. Great overview
3. Great discussion
4. Wrap up
5. Follow up
The 20 Minute Networking Meeting

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Great First Impression
§ Express Gratitude
§ Highlight your Connections and
common Interests
§ Set the Agenda and Time
20 Minute Network Meeting

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Great Overview
§ Briefly State your Background (Time
limit 1 minute)
o Provide Context for your
Questions
20 Minute Network Meeting

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Great Discussion
§ Research (LinkedIn, Internet)
§ Curiosity
o “I noticed that you spent 4
years in consulting… how was
the transition? Is that a path
you recommend?”
o “You have an EMBA. How has
that been valuable to you?”
o “X years ago… where were
you? What big decisions were
you facing?”
§ Questions need to generate both
personal and professional answers
§ Ask for more names
§ ”How can I help you?”
20 Minute Network Meeting

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Learn to ask great questions…
§ Fact – ”What was your first leadership role?”
§ Opinion – ”What were the best and worst
aspects of the role?”
§ Impact – ”What impact did those experiences
have on you today?”
§ Change – ”If you could go back, is there
anything you would have done differently?”
Resources on Great Questions:
§ 50 Questions to take better decisions
o https://conorneill.com/2019/03/01/take-better-business/
§ What is Mentorship?
o https://conorneill.com/2016/11/14/what-is-mentorship/
Questions > Answers
Increase your Question:Answer Ratio

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Great Ending
§ Review any actions
§ Express your gratitude
§ End - get out on time
20 Minute Network Meeting

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Follow Up
§ prompt action within 24 hours
§ the person you just spoke to
§ the person who referred you
20 Minute Network Meeting

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Great Books on Networking, Habits and Life

23. SPAIN
OUR MISSION
(why we exist)
We improve the effectiveness and
enhance the lives of business
leaders.
OUR VALUES
(what we believe in)
- TRUST
- CHALLENGE
- CARING
- GROWTH
OUR VISION
(what we want to be)
We will be recognized as the best-
in-class leadership development
organization for SME business
executives. We’ll be world-class at
what we do. We’ll have fun doing it.
We believe the most effective and proven way to develop
business owners and executives is through peer-group
learning, facilitated by a professional Vistage Chair. Our
customers (members) learn more, learn faster and achieve
a higher impact – in their business and in their lives. We
help people grow, professionally and personally. We
support them through challenges and hold them
accountable to achieve their goals. We love what we do.