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    • Action plan

    Nurturing your support network over time

    Medium effort

    High impact

    Having a trusted network of people is an invaluable resource for business leaders, whether you’re making a key decision or need a simple sense check. While nurturing your network may sound like a big time commitment, you’d be surprised how much a monthly cup of coffee with a peer can broaden your perspective and result in more informed decisions across your business.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline
    What's involved? Ways to use this action plan Measuring impact
    1

    Spend time researching how other business leaders nurture their networks

    Impact: low

    Why will this help?

    Learning from the activities of other business leaders can inform how much time you spend on your network and what relationship building strategies you should focus on.

    Build a business network for mutually beneficial relationships and fresh perspectives

    Building a business network in the hospitality industry has been essential in turning around the fortunes of Cornwall pub and hotel, The Norway Inn.
    2

    Plan time to meet another business leader in your network for coffee and share updates and challenges you're experiencing

    Impact: high

    Why will this help?

    People often find it easier to open up and speak honestly in a relaxed, non-business environment like a café.

    3

    Keep your online profile updated and share what’s happening in your business, including the challenges you’re facing

    Impact: low

    Why will this help?

    Posting about your experiences keeps you at the forefront of people’s minds and will make them more likely to reach out if they’ve been in a similar situation.

    4

    Pay attention to what other businesses in your network are doing and pick up the phone if they need advice

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    Picking up the phone when people in your network need help will strengthen your relationships and make them more receptive if you need support in the future.

    5

    Review your efforts and identify ways to nurture your network further

    Impact: medium

    Why will this help?

    Looking at where you’ve developed the most useful connections can inform your future efforts and determine which activities you spend time on. It also helps to identify gaps in the type of expertise you need to grow.

    What can I do with this Action Plan?

    Start this Action Plan

    Add some extra information to this plan and we’ll help you get it done.

    • We’ve designed our action plans to be completed in the order of steps laid out and explained why each step is important
    • Customising your action plan lets you set your own completion dates, assign tasks to others and get notifications
    • Helpful tools are provided for certain steps while a tracking metric at the end will help you determine the long-term success of your effort
    • A downloadable PDF version of each action plan is available if you’d like to compete it offline

    Download and print

    Get a printable template for this Action Plan, fill it in with some target dates, and share it with your team. Pin it on the wall where everyone can see it.

    Get the printable Action Plan

    Learning Groups

    We also run Learning Groups on these topics where you can join other leaders tackling the same challenges.

    Find a Learning Group

    How will I know if my action plan is working?

    Number of meaningful connections

    Your network provides a valuable resource

    Why this metric?

    Tracking the number of meaningful connections in your network will make sure you’re building it based on quality, not quantity.

    How do I start tracking?

    Examine your network after three months and ask yourself whether you’ve managed to build three meaningful connections that you could turn to for support – or offer support to – in the future.