Rising Generation

Dear Rising,

Thanks so much for reaching out to me. The only thing I ask is what took you so long! But you’re here now, and I’m glad to help. Just give me a second to get out my prescription pad and turn the ringer off my phone [wink].

Lookie here, I know it feels like a bit of an uphill battle, Rising, but let me tell you, you’re certainly not the first young leaders to face this challenge. But there’s one thing that might surprise you: you’re actually in a better position than you think. Yes, those founding partners had decades to build their amazing networks, but you and your colleagues have a great foundation, a good reputation (I’m assuming! I’m hoping!), and a strong track record to build on.

See, Rising, clients don’t hire contractors or engineers or architects—they hire people they like, the ones who have the right skills, and most of all, people they trust to solve their problems. Your founding partners understood this instinctively. They built relationships first, and business followed. So, Rising, what you and the other new leaders need to do is…yes, you guessed it, the same thing! Build genuine connections with the people who can help your firm thrive.

Today, you’ve got information at the touch of a button or a swipe. Your founders each had a Rolodex (think of your contact list on index cards attached to a spinning wheel, like super low tech. I know, sounds crazy, but that’s what we did back then. If don’t know what a Rolodex is, Google it!). But I digress! In other words, your senior partners didn’t build their networks sitting at their desks waiting for their cell phones to ring or waiting for messages to float across their computer screens. Nope. They called people on the phone, met colleagues over lunch, rubbed proverbial elbows with their peers at conferences, and attended lots and lots of industry events. 

Now, before you start hyperventilating about spending your precious evenings at bland industry dinners eating rubber chickens (and you will have to do that from time to time, I’m sorry to say!), let me give you the Doctor’s prescription for relationship building that actually works. First things first, start with the low-hanging fruit. Let’s face it, Rising, unless you’re a hermit (are you? I hope not!) you probably know more people than you think—colleagues from past firms, former classmates, architects you’ve worked with, consultants on your projects, former clients, etc., etc., etc. 

The Doctor advises you to reach out to all these great contacts you have and find out what they’re up to. And don’t stop there! It’s always great to mingle with people by joining committees of professional organizations, volunteering for good causes (yay!), and speaking at conferences. Yes, I know what you’re gonna say, yes, this takes time away from billable hours and your day job, but this is part of your day job. Think of it like preventative medicine: go to the doctor before you get sick, not when you can’t get out of bed.

Here’s a secret: one of the fastest ways to build relationships is by helping other people. For example, introduce that developer you know to the architect who’d be perfect for that project. Connect the young engineer to the senior principal who shares his passion for resiliency. When you become known as someone who helps others—particularly if you help others succeed—people remember you and like a boomerang, they’ll come bouncing back to you.

Now, I know you’re gonna ask me about social media. The Doctor is all for social media, but you have to use it to facilitate real connections, not replace them. See an interesting project someone posted? Don’t just hit heart or smiley face or thumbs up (boring!). Send your connection a message and suggest grabbing a drink to talk about it. In other words, build on your presence online to identify people worth meeting offline. The key is finding authentic ways to connect. 

Look, the bottom line is that your pipeline isn’t going to just go to the gas station and fill itself, Rising. But with patience, determination, and consistent effort, you’ll build relationships that grow your firm and build your influence.

So close your laptop, boogie on out there, and ease on down the road. The Doctor guarantees you’ll be surprised by how much business development feels less like “networking” and more like making friends when you approach it the right way. And who doesn’t like new friends?

Now go forth and make some meaningful connections. The Doctor believes in you!