Leaders Build Networks
Randy Wolken, President & CEO

There’s a great myth in most leadership stories that individual leaders are the reason for the success of their organizations. However, that just isn’t true. Do you know of any highly successful leaders who don’t have a great network? No matter how good a leader someone may be, no company can attribute all its success to a single leader.

To be successful as a leader, you must be connected to a group of individuals you trust, including family, friends, community members, colleagues, and co-workers. It’s this network that you must surround yourself with that’s the foundation of leadership success. The question is, how do you create and maintain such a successful network?

Start with the “who.” When it comes to your network, the right people must be in it. They must be trustworthy and care about you deeply. They must also be willing to challenge you and possess capabilities that complement yours. For me, I look for people who are gifted beyond my capacity and abilities. Surround yourself with the best people to be the best leader you can be.

Next, examine your “what.” What are you going to ask your network to help you with? This question is fundamental. We must be vulnerable enough to acknowledge that we need others to help us. Make a list of areas you want help with. It can be as generic as “help challenge my thinking” or “help me find humor.” The key is to be honest about what you need most and work your way down your list.

Finally, you must identify your “how.” How will you build this vital and incredible network that will help you succeed? My rule of thumb is to give others what you want from them. Give them your trust, care, honesty, and assistance with your capabilities. Invest in them. Once you’ve done that, you can – and should – ask for their assistance and begin to rely on them. Be as vulnerable as you can be. If they’re inclined to help and can see you genuinely want their help, they will step in. If not, you can move to others in your network. Be intentional about building this support network because it’ll be one of the most important things you do as a leader.

Let me give you a relevant example from my own life. As MACNY’s President & CEO, I often need the advice and guidance of our trusted board members. I’m blessed to have a great board that has always been more than willing to assist our team. I’ve turned to many of them time and time again for support and guidance.

We look for board members who are caring, smart, give to others, and have excellent capabilities. These qualities make them a great network of capable supporters of not only MACNY but also for me as an individual. When in need, I’ve turned to these wonderful people on our board and I’ve been grateful for all the times they’ve responded. As I said earlier, you must give others what you ask of them, so I aim to provide the same service to our board members during their times of need. I attribute many successful decisions to our board’s guidance, insight, and assistance.

Now is a great time to build your leadership network. Who do you want in it? What do you need help with? How can they help you? Make a list today and prioritize it. Reach out today to meet with members of your network whether in person or by phone. Today is the best day to begin busting that age-old myth of the singular leader because it was always just that; a myth. Your success and mine are living proof of it.