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3 Little Known Tips to Propel Your Best Business Relationships

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If you’d like to learn how to properly forge a relationship so you can expand your network, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.


We’ve all heard the classic saying, “your network is your net worth” but actually building that network can be challenging at times. How do you go about forging new relationships? What are the right and wrong ways to create new connections? Is it true that you should never ask someone if you can “pick their brain?”

After years of creating my own network, I believe that the three following tips will help you to propel your very best business relationships:

1. Think of your network as people who you can help

Usually, entrepreneurs begin their network creation by thinking about all the people who can help them achieve their business goals. This is the wrong way to go about it. 

People can tell if you’re forging a relationship with them with ulterior motives (such as their investment, their network, or something else they can do for you), or if you’re forging a relationship with their best interest at heart. Reciprocity is the best currency of relationships. No one owes you anything. Rather, see how you can help – and do so without any expectation. 

For example, if you have been hoping to connect with a managing partner at a prestigious venture capital firm to pitch your startup, don’t start by pitching or asking for help. Rather, think about how you can help them. Do you have a connection who can include their name in an upcoming press piece? Can you share a survey they created on your social media to show support? Even if you think someone can only help you, there are likely plenty of ways you can help them – even if it’s just by leaving a five star review for their book on Amazon.

Even the language of the word “help” is useful. For example, if you’re looking to be introduced to someone as a business referral, it sounds more service-oriented to say something like, “Do you know anyone else who is looking for a social media manager? I’d love to help them reach new metrics and levels of engagement.”

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” – Dale Carnegie

2. Tailor your network to people who can help you grow

Now, the real reason people say “your network is your net worth” is because your network is a reflection of who you are and who you are becoming. If you’re around people who aren’t focused on personal or business development and they stay stagnant, you aren’t doing yourself any favors. Yes, this may mean you have to trim your network – there doesn’t have to be any dramatic ending of relationships, just be conscious of who you choose to spend time around.

People who can help you grow aren’t always people who can directly help you in your career endeavors. Rather, these are people who are always setting the bar a little higher for themselves. It’s inspirational to hear from people with consistent morning routines, productivity regimens, and habits that make you want to be better. The more you can flock with people like this, the more you will grow and meet more people who can help.

3. Join mastermind groups

One of the very best ways to meet people who will help you grow is to join a mastermind group. If you haven’t before, they usually take place online or in-person, and consist of like-minded people – whether they be entrepreneurs or business owners. The name sounds fancy, but really the purpose masterminds serve is to bring together these like minded people and see how the exchange of ideas and asks for advice can help everyone.

Now, masterminds can be quite expensive – in the $2,000-5,000 range. While that may be expensive for a group you can exchange ideas with, you’re actually paying for more than that. When these mastermind groups are expertly curated, you can expect that the people you’ll be working with and helping will be people who have their own networks they can introduce you to or plug you into – and ways that they can help you.

“When a group of individual brains are coordinated and function in harmony, the increased energy created through that alliance becomes available to every individual brain in that group.” – Napoleon Hill

Everyone knows someone who knows someone. Since masterminds are built on reciprocity, it’s a great way to see what you can offer and what you can get, which is a bit less quid pro quo in a group. For example – maybe you have a business contact for Peter but he doesn’t have what you’re looking for, but Sarah does have that contact. As long as everyone’s participating in the exchange, magic happens.

Beyond the creation of the relationships, make sure to nurture them. Take note of birthdays and send congratulatory messages if a connection lands a big deal or wins an award. Continuously see how you can help them – far beyond your initial offer. This is how you propel your best business relationships. 

Do you like networking with people? If so, do you have any tips for our readers? Share your thoughts on it below!

David Schloss is an online entrepreneur who began marketing in 2007 from his college apartment. Over the years, he has helped hundreds of businesses improve their website traffic, customer acquisition, and revenue using social advertising. His business, Convert ROI, enables businesses to succeed by taking complicated social ad plans and seamlessly turning them into easy-to-follow revenue producing campaigns. He manages over $2.5mil per month in paid advertising via Facebook and Instagram. He has been rated as one of the top “Experts to Watch” by Forbes Magazine, has been featured on Entrepreneur.com, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, and been interviewed on various podcasts and web shows around the topic of social advertising. David is a father to his son, Leo, and has been together with his wife, Erica, for 10 years.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
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Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

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