Highlights from Kathryn Mayer:
I’m honored to have been the featured speaker at the Financial Women’s Association (FWA) event, Elevate Your Network, Empower Your Career. A huge thank you to the FWA Membership & Engagement Committee, Erin K. Preston, Samantha DiMercurio, and Marsh McLennan for making this happen.
Networking is evolving as many of us are returning to the office again, and FWA members are eager to rebuild their skills. Despite the rainy evening, the energy, engagement, and willingness to be vulnerable made this workshop unforgettable.
I opened with this powerful insight:
"Research shows that new ideas and career opportunities are most likely to come from weak ties – relationships outside our closest circles."*
To illustrate this, I shared my own experience—how a simple question to my book editor led me to a life-changing conversation with keynote speaker and bestselling author Victoria Labalme who is a weak tie. Her advice? Just start calling yourself a keynote speaker. That shift in mindset transformed my approach, leading to new opportunities within weeks.
Then, I challenged attendees with an interactive exercise. Each participant partnered with someone they didn’t know, spending five minutes brainstorming a person they wanted to meet or a request they could make to connect with a weak tie. The energy in the room was electric as women realized the untapped potential in their networks.
Next, we explored key principles of strategic networking: defining its purpose, differentiating mentor-sponsor relationships, and identifying the 10–15 critical connections that drive success. Attendees then paired with new partners to reflect on how they define themselves—not just professionally, but through their education, family roles, hobbies, volunteer work, and social circles. Many discovered surprising commonalities, from boxing to shared alma maters, reinforcing the power of authentic connections.
By the end, everyone walked away having met at least two to three new people and with actionable strategies to enhance their network.
If you want to dive deeper, I cover strategic networking in my newly released book, The Productive Perfectionist. I also write a monthly blog on leadership development, so stay ahead of the curve and subscribe! Plus, if you're looking for coaching or training, visit kcmayer.com to connect and to buy my new book!
*Gianpiero Petriglieri, “How to Make Better Friends at Work,” MIT Sloan Management Review, volume 65, no.3 (Spring 2024), page 44
