Coaching Yourself to Leadership: Five Key Strategies for Becoming an Integrated Leader

Network with Conscious Intent

As you develop your networking strategy, remain focused on your vision and goals as you decide whom you want to meet and how you can meet them. Go places and meet people with the conscious intent of developing strategic connections. This is such an easy step, but I often find myself falling short even when my own experience tells me how beneficial it is to go somewhere with the intent of getting to meet someone who can help me.

Let me give you an example of what I mean—several years ago I went to a meeting of a professional group with the clear intent to meet someone from Verizon. I knew the company was a leader in bringing women up through the management ranks, and I wanted an entrée. Before I left for the event, ...