Connecting Is Not Enough - The Networking Radio Show

From a traditional Scots background and strongly influenced by his father's expectations, Neil Wilkie talks about the relationships that impacted his career. Successful but unhappy, Neil eventually gave up his business where he had never felt comfortable with the ultimate goal of profit. He moved to Vistage acting as a mentor in mastermind groups. For the first time he felt equal in the community of Vistage Chairs, the collegiate nature of the groups which emphasised a shared purpose, openness and support. The desire for approval from his father and other family problems were the negative relationships that affected his career. Neil shares some resources that he particularly recommends.

Andy Lopata's guest on this week's Connected Leadership Podcast is Neil Wilkie, author, coach and psychotherapist. Andy and Neil discuss how the way you engage with both personal and professional relationships impacts the success you enjoy in your career. Neil left a thriving business because it made him unhappy, he wanted to focus on relationships and help successful but unhappy businessmen. He developed a Relationship Paradigm for personal relationships and the discussion looks at how it impacts people in their work and how the paradigm also relates to professional relationships.    

Andy Lopata discusses the positive and negative aspects of professional relationships during their careers with Jon Baker and Jenn Kahnweiler. For Jon, an introvert, he was most influenced by extroverts who were people oriented, while he found introverts more task focused. He recalled poor leaders who didn't recognise different personalities and wrongly denigrated those who didn't match their perspective. Jenn had both good and bad managers in the early stages of her career, but there were also fantastic mentors/bosses and others she wanted to emulate. Her negative experiences came from not taking the time to assess personality traits and trying to impose her own ideas. Jon and Jenn share their favourite resources.

'It's useful to have the introvert/extrovert spectrum as a guide, as a way of understanding people are different, behave differently in different circumstances by what energises them. Use it as a guide but still focus on the individual.' Andy Lopata hosts an interesting discussion with Jennifer Kahnweiler from New York and Jon Baker, introvert. They discuss the differences in building relationships, networking, working in teams and understanding people who may be a different personality type. Was lockdown a positive experience for introverts or do they still need the personal connections that come with working in an office or meeting and connecting with new people?  Andy, Jenn and Jon discuss how most people have elements of both personalities and how that can be used constructively.

Andy Lopata welcomes back Connected Leadership Podcast regular contributor Luca Signoretti and they talk about the need for change and re-visiting where you are in your career and your goals. The pandemic has brought a time of change. Companies are re-structuring and there is a rise in redundancies. Andy and Luca discuss the problems of moving to new areas of business and how good research and a diverse network can help. The value of feedback and a trusted mentor help to negotiate an unfamiliar path.

Zena Everett's entire career is based on professional relationships and she discusses with Andy Lopata how important this has been. All opportunities have come from her network and she includes the pivotal effect of feedback from trusted sources, however tough. Relationships could go wrong when she was too opinionated, giving unwanted advice. Zena learned that sometimes people just want someone to listen. She shares some of her favourite books.

Andy lopata's guest this week is Zena Everett, a leadership coach and speaker on career strategy and productivity. She is the author of Amazon #1 best-seller 'The Crazy Busy Cure'. Andy and Zena discuss the challenge most clients share of a lack of time to focus on relationship building, particularly true in professional services where people are often judged on billable hours. How do we strike the right balance and find the time? The importance of building relationships outside the business to stay in touch with changes. Time management involves setting priorities, planning, discipline and includes deep work sessions and good leadership. They conclude by looking at how we adapt to a post pandemic world with new technology and new, flexible ways of working.