It’s no secret that building a strong internal network can help your career thrive. We speak to Lucy Chamberlain, founder and CEO of ย C&C Search, about how finding your tribe can boost your career.ย
A supportive, thriving network within your workplace can be transformative to your career.ย Intentionally nurturing the right relationships, and building your tribe, is about matching your ethos, values and skills with your people, to take charge of your career.
What does โtribeโ mean to you?
โTribeโ has become somewhat of a buzzword, but from a career perspective, itโs so much more than an Instagram mantra. Itโs a powerful concept of where you belong โ your like-minded community.ย People like you, who you connect with, who encourage you to show up as your best self, and who support your growth. That you do the same for.
As a PA, this certainly doesnโt limit you to your peers.ย In fact, Iโd encourage you to build a tribe at all levels of your organisation. Youโll probably gravitate towards more senior people in your business that share the things you care about and are interested in.ย Itโs just as vital to nurture those relationships.
Be intentional
Cultivating a tribe requires intentionality. When youโre inspired by your people โ particularly those further ahead of you career-wise โ share this with them. Tell them how a lunchtime talk they delivered encourage you to take action and what the outcome was. This is closing the mentoring loop and is an organic way to connect with mentors whoโll take an active interest in sponsoring your success.
Keep your friends close?
Your career isnโt a popularity contest. โYou are the average of your friendsโ is something Iโve found to ring true throughout a 20-year career in this industry.ย Have the self-respect to be more selective about who you allow to influence you โ particularly in the workplace. In other words, be more selective about our friends.
Think about the kind of value they add โ do they leave you energised or drained? It isnโt about being ruthless. Itโs about making more space for people who light you up.
Become a magnet
Building a tribe isnโt about hierarchy; itโs about mindset, identity and kinship. Cultivate a network that shares ideas and fosters collaborative support.
Cultivate a broad network to exchange ideas and rally collaborative support. Where possible, remove obstacles to teamwork within your business. Be respectful and openly credit people in your team. Ultimately people want to be heard and recognised. By saying somethingโs helpful or makes a difference to your day, youโll encourage them to keep doing it. Be prepared to challenge too โ this brings out the best in your tribe.
Super-connect
Become a super-connector. Always think about who you know who can help your network. Have the confidence to make connections, where both parties can benefit.ย The association will reflect back to you so be mindful and donโt connect for the sake of it.
Remember not to expect anything in return; itโs about spreading goodwill within your tribe.
Be patient. Building lasting, worthwhile relationships takes time. By paying attention to the people youโre attracted to, who share your interests, desires, talents, youโll build a strong core of support and inspiration. And itโs this platform that will help take your career to the next level.
