How Relationships Fuel Career Growth and Influence

You can be great at your job, but if no one sees it, your growth stalls. Influence and visibility are often unlocked through relationships, not just output.

Strong relationships help people trust you, advocate for you, and include you in the conversations that shape direction and strategy. That’s why building relationships isn’t just a “nice-to-have”..

Think of your professional relationships in three categories:

• Peers: They’re the ones who see your day-to-day work. A strong peer network helps spread your reputation organically.
  
  
• Mentors: These are the people who challenge your thinking and help you grow beyond your current role.
  
  
• Sponsors: The most powerful of all—sponsors use their influence to put your name forward when it counts, unlocking high-impact projects and promotions.
  
  

Strategic networking isn’t about collecting contacts. It’s about building real, reciprocal relationships. Ask yourself: Who’s seeing and supporting my work? Who’s helping me grow? And who am I championing in return?

Relationships aren’t a side quest, they’re how you get noticed, trusted, and promoted. The right network changes everything. And, life is better together

But starting may feel hard and daunting, especially for folks who aren’t naturally inclined to be bold, and make the first move. Doing hard things is an important part of growth, but you can start small. Consider going 1 step outside your current immediate network, this might look like reaching out to an ex-colleague that you admired and asking them for coffee to hear about how their new role is going. It might look like following up with a member of a different team who recently presented on a topic and asking them some more indepth questions. It might look like going to a meet up with some colleagues or folks you know, and talking to one new person. 

If building relationships is hard for you, acknowledge the discomfort, face the hard thing consistently, be curious, and find a way to both learn and share. You will be amazed at where this might lead you. 

BUT, ‘networking’ is hard and awkward and uncomfortable, so how do you get started? There’s something to be said for doing hard things. Join some meetup groups, get out and about. And, when you’re there, don’t seek to find someone who can help you out, instead go to the event with a goal to talk to one new person and learn something about them. (I often go in with a couple of questions in mind; “What was great for you today?”, “What are you looking forward to next week?”).

Want to grow your influence as a tech leader?
Check out Kaleida’s leadership workshops—designed for technical professionals who are ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and connection.