In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, senior leadership is no longer just about expertise or decision-making. It’s about building meaningful connections. For those at the top, expanding networks and fostering relationships outside familiar circles are not just nice-to-haves — they are essential for impactful leadership.
Too often, senior leaders remain within the comfort of their trusted circles — engaging with the same colleagues, clients and peers. While this feels efficient, it can unintentionally limit growth, stifle innovation and create blind spots in decision-making.
True leadership requires stepping beyond the familiarity to connect with new voices, ideas and perspectives.
Why Stepping Out Matters
For senior leaders, the stakes are high. Staying within the same networks creates three critical risks:
1. Stagnation: Familiarity reinforces old patterns and limits exposure to new thinking.
2. Missed opportunities: New relationships often bring fresh insights, collaborations and business growth.
3. Disconnected leadership: A narrow network can create blind spots, leaving leaders out of touch with broader realities.
How Senior Leaders Can Strategically Build Connections
Expanding your network requires intentionality. Here’s how senior leaders can step out and connect with purpose:
1. Conduct a network audit. Analyse your current relationships to identify gaps:
Are there voices missing that could broaden your perspective?
Are you engaging with people who challenge your thinking?
Are there opportunities within or outside your organisation you’ve yet to explore?
2. Prioritise strategic conversations. Seek out high-value, meaningful dialogues by asking insightful questions like:
“What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in your field?”
“What trends do you think are shaping the future?”
“How can we align or collaborate more effectively?”
3. Make connection part of your leadership practice. Engage with purpose, both internally and externally:
Host cross-functional forums to foster collaboration within your organisation.
Seek cross-industry events or panels to gain diverse insights.
Build bridges between individuals in your network to foster collaboration.
4. Lead with generosity. Offer value first:
Share your expertise, connections or resources to help others succeed.
Listen actively and seek to understand their goals.
5. Reflect and measure. Assess the impact of your new connections:
What have you learned or applied from these relationships?
How have they influenced your decisions, strategies, or growth?
The Leadership Advantage
When senior leaders step out and connect, they:
- Gain diverse perspectives that challenge assumptions and inspire innovation.
- Build stronger influence as connectors and collaborators.
- Unlock new opportunities for growth, both personally and organisationally.
- The most impactful senior leaders are those who constantly expand their circles to bring in fresh energy, ideas, and insights.
The Call to Action
For senior leaders, stepping out is not optional. It’s strategic. Make the deliberate choice to:
- Identify five new connections to engage with.
- Prioritise conversations that inspire fresh thinking.
- Reflect on how these relationships are shaping your leadership and decisions.
Leadership is about building bridges to new perspectives, untapped opportunities and future possibilities. Step out, connect and lead with impact.
Arinya Talerngsri, Local Partner & Managing Director at BTS Thailand (formerly SEAC), part of the BTS Group, a leading global strategy implementation firm, is passionate about revolutionising education and creating opportunities for Thais and people worldwide. Executives and organisations looking to collaborate or learn more about leadership development, talent development, succession planning and organisational transformation can contact her directly at arinya.talerngsri@bts.com or visit her LinkedIn profile