There are many reasons why a leadership network is so important, but let’s put this in the context of our basic leadership formula:

Leadership = Vision (coherence) X Task (action) X Relationship (connections). More details here.

In terms of Vision, as your responsibilities grow you will need to incorporate the vision, perspectives, and values of other parts of the organization. The most efficient way to download this is having a rich network in the other parts of the company. You will also need to depend on the technical task work done by these increasingly disparate elements since you will not have enough capacity to learn all these new technical skills and processes, so a network that can help you with this will be essential. And so that you can trust that network, you will need a deeper set of relationships through the organization as well.

Many leaders, perhaps most, are good networkers quite naturally. But it's likely the case that not every successful leader was as good a networker as they have become and every leader can be masterfully skilled at the undertaking. All it takes is a commitment to improve, a simple process to build the network, and the courage to start.

Step One: What do you already have? This sounds and is pretty simple. Who is in your leadership network now. Take ten minutes and list all of the individuals that you now turn to for advice and understanding when faced with a leadership, organizational, or even technical problem or issue. Now think of those people that depend on you for the same things. Obviously there will be overlap and there should be. It will be revealing to go back to the list and beside each name write down the last contact you had with the person and the focus of the discussion.

This is the core of your network and what follows is how to build on it.

Step Two: Identify six individuals in your organization that you would like to be a part of your network. They can be from a part of your organization that you will soon need to work with more intensively, a person whose work you admire but you don’t know them yet, or perhaps someone that has made a presentation or comments in a meeting that resonated with you. Don’t over think, just six people that would be good to have in your network.

Step Three: Reach out to schedule lunch or coffee. I know this cold call can be daunting, so if you need a smaller step, ask someone that knows them to do an intro email. If you do the contacting, just tell them you admire what they do and have some questions. Very few people can resist this. And remember, you have valuable skills, insights, and relationships, so you are building their network as well.

Step Four: Prepare. This is easier than you think. Spend a little more time finding out about their work or the work of their department. But really prep is getting these five magic questions down. This will also answer your concern of “What will we talk about.”

Question one: “Before we dig into why I asked you to coffee, tell me something about you?” If they ask about what? Just say, “Whatever will help me understand you and your work better.” Everyone can answer this question and most people like to talk about themselves. But remember this conversation is an exchange, so mirror their offerings with things about you.

Question two: “How did you get interested in this work and started on this career?” Again a softball question. Listen for things that are similar to your experience and share these with them as a part of the conversation.

Question three: “What are the one or two things that you are most excited about right now in your current work?” As they share these push for deeper understanding. Ask them to explain why this is important or what about this is making you excited. By this point in the conversation they will probably be primed to ask you the same, particularly if you have made the talk a two way conversation.

Question four: “Thinking out three years, what are the two or three biggest internal and then external challenges your work and department faces?” This will broaden your understanding of the bigger picture, give you valuable information about what is pressing them and give you a context for sharing in the future.

Question five: “What leadership skill, understanding or capacity are you working on to improve?” Most good leaders will have this at the ready, but some may not and you should be ready to jump in with, “Can you tell, I’m working on improving my leadership network.”

All of these questions can lead into a broader two way discussion that will build your understanding of each other, kick off a relationship and provide you with a broader and deeper technical understanding of the other work of the organization. They will also give you all the material you need for Step Five below.

Before you leave these conversations in Step Four, close every session with thanking them for their time and asking them who else you should consider reaching out to in order to build your network.

Step Five: Follow up your conversation with a thank you note. If there is something from that talk that you can share, an article, an introduction, something you thought about after the conversation that expands the discussion, or even a follow up question, then share it in this follow up email. If nothing comes to mind, make sure that within the next month you do raise one of these with them.

Your goal for the first year is to have conversations like this with the six people on your initial list. That is just one every two months. You will find that the process is easier than you thought, that you get better at it with each talk, and that you are quite ready to do more as your skill and comfort level rises.

As your network grows make sure you cultivate it by reaching out and sharing ideas, people, resources, anything helpful. And use it by reaching out for help and understanding for your work.

That’s it.

Before you know it they will start calling you a networking maven.