A culture of growth is based on a culture of making connections.  Growth simply doesn’t happen on its own.  The members of your organization need to be consistently working to develop quality relationships with the people around them.  This includes people that work over and under you, your peers with whom you collaborate, and the customers and clients that you serve.

Developing these relationships and gaining the trust of others takes time.  As you are working to build your network, keep the long game in mind.

No one wants to be given a sales pitch when you meet someone for the first time.  Communicate your value instead.

The foundation of an effective network is built on strong relationships between its members.  Be aware of what the members of your network need so that you’ll be in a position to serve them should the need arise.