🤝 Influence Networks

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Part 1. Why “Networking” Hasn’t Worked for You

Part 2. Relationships vs Sponsors: Understanding the Difference

Part 3. Having Conversations That Actually Matter

Part 4. Managing Up: Getting Resourced and Remembered

Part 5. Creating Advocates Who Amplify You

Part 6. Building Cross-Org Influence

👉 Part 1.

Why “Networking” Hasn’t Worked for You

Understanding the difference between transactional networking and genuine connection.

Networking for People Who’d Rather Not: Strategies for introverted designers to build professional networks.

👉 Part 2.

Learning the distinct roles that mentors, allies, and sponsors play in your career.

The Sponsorship Gap: Why advice (mentorship) is not enough for promotion; you need someone to pull you up (sponsorship).

👉 Part 3.

Mastering the informal and high-stakes dialogue that happens outside the official meeting room.

The Corridor Advantage (What Happens Outside the Room): Pre-meeting influence and the power of the “side-bar” conversation.

👉 Part 4.

Ensuring your manager and executives see your value and allocate the resources you need.

How to Guide Your CEO’s Enthusiasm for “Shiny New Features”: Redirecting top-down pressure into strategic product evolution.

👉 Part 5.

Developing a network of internal champions who speak for you when you aren’t in the room.

Winning Over Stakeholder Trust: Unconventional Tactics: Earning the kind of trust that turns a skeptic into an advocate.
Silent Career Killer #8: Forgetting to leverage allies within your org: The risk of trying to drive change alone without a coalition.

👉 Part 6.

Expanding your reach beyond the design team to impact the entire product and business ecosystem.

Building Influence Fast when You’re New to the Company: Leading without authority from day one in a new environment.