Vol. 24: Building Strategic Relationships

Ruben Henderson and I had the opportunity to co-present at last night's the705 Member Meeting about building strategic relationships, and I want to talk about that a bit here.

Relationships are critical in getting where you want to go, both personally and professionally.

Building strategic relationships is a step deeper. It's the intentional practice - grounded in authenticity and integrity - of building relationships while knowing what both parties can gain long-term by having the relationship exist.

Here were some of our main points:

1. Know where you want to go.

You can't be strategic if you don't know the direction - the end goal. Think of what you want to do, where you want to be, who you want to become. Then identify the people who do those things, are in those places, or are those people you want to be like - and connect with them.

2. Take initiative to build and nurture the relationships.

Step out of your comfort zone and be honest and authentic when you connect. Find relatable connection points. Lead with genuine curiosity in them, not a pitch on yourself.

Once the relationship is established, nurture it. A Facebook like here, a LinkedIn article DM there. A quarterly coffee chat or random text when they pop into your mind.

You can't expect a relationship to maintain it's strength if you don't nurture it, in the same way a plant won't grow or even stay alive if it's not watered.

3. Focus on them.

Give more than you take. Have a relational mindset, not a transactional one. Genuinely care about the other person and what they value instead of aiming to get something out of it. Connect in the way they best prefer.

4. Provide value.

Lead with giving. Find what they value/care about and see how you can fulfill that. Even if you're not an "expert" or "leader" in anything, here are some simple valuable things everyone can provide:

• Personal/professional expertise (you just need to know marginally more than the other person)
• Connections (to people, resources, opportunities, etc.)
• Life lessons
• Time
• A listening ear

5. Don't forget to have a strategic relationship with yourself.

Think "what brings me value?" and do things that align with that (and shed things that don't align with that). And recognize when what you value changes and shift your actions accordingly.

Recognize when you're in a phase of "Exploration" (meeting new people, trying new activities, learning new things, etc.) and when you're in a phase of "Exploitation" (identifying what you love, what you're good at, or what brings you and others value, and doubling down on that while cutting back on everything else).

Be aware of what serves you and what doesn't. Monitor your energy and rest, and shift commitments to avoid long-term burnout and lack of personal follow-through.

6. Lastly, relationships are an infinite game, not a finite one.

Sports are a finite game. There are rules, a scoreboard, and an ending time. You either win or lose in finite games.

Infinite games are different. The point is to continue playing the game.

• The goal isn't to "get" healthy - it's to stay healthy.
• The goal isn't to "get" in business - it's to stay in business.
• The goal isn't to "get" in a relationship - it's to stay in a relationship.

We've all heard "your network is your net worth," but that's only true if you invest in it.

Relationships are the bedrock of personal and professional growth, but more importantly, they're the bedrock of humanity. We're social creatures.

Invest in them. Provide value. And if you're strategic with them, they'll be like a nitro booster to get you where you want to go.

See you next Thursday, Steppers.

We will succeed,

Grayson

​graysonstepanek.com​

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Song of the Week:

Highway 95 pt.2 Baby Keem PREVIEW   ​

Told y'all this Baby Keem album was gonna do something to me, and boy did it! I immediately was hooked on first listen. The songwriting is vulnerable. The hook is an earworm. The beat is hypnotic. This song is phenomenal, and the whole album is truly amazing. An amazing evolution of his sound while being more vulnerable than ever. The world is better with Keem in it.