What started as a boutique recruiting firm has grown into Talent Executives Group, a family of brands focused on helping companies hire leaders and helping professionals build real-world connections.

Talent Executives leads executive and strategic hiring across the U.S., working as a seamless part of the internal team.

Networking Executives curates in-person events so professionals can build relationships the old-fashioned way, face-to-face.

We’re known for a process that feels human, a partnership that feels collaborative, and results that stay consistent.

Along the way, I’ve been invited to speak at UT Dallas, SMU, panels, podcasts, and nationally with YMSL, and we’ve earned Women-Owned (WBENC) and SBA certifications. I’m also a finalist for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses.

If your team values both relationships and results, let’s talk.

— Amy


Amy Sulgrove

Exciting news to share! 🎊 

I’ve been accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program!

As Founder & CEO of Talent Executives Group and Networking Executives, I’m looking forward to continued growth alongside other entrepreneurs in this program. 

The focus on scaling with intention, sharper strategy, stronger leadership, and a sharper foundation for what we’re building next feels especially timely!

Grateful for the opportunity and the people I’ll get to learn with.

Let's GOOO! 🙌 

#10KSBDALLAS

 Amy Sulgrove

Hiring Leaders Who Elevate Culture and Performance 🔹 Executive and Leadership Search for Mid-Market and Enterprise Companies 🔹 Relationship-Led Recruiting With Transparent Metrics

2025 was a breakthrough year for Talent Executives Group!

We grew faster
partnered smarter
and helped companies hire leaders who:

Shifted strategy
Built high-performing teams
and drove measurable outcomes.

But what’s coming in 2026?

This year, we’re putting real structure behind something that’s been quietly building: Networking Executives.

Not just a list.
Not just warm intros.

A high-trust, high-impact community built for leaders ready to level up and companies who want to hire with precision!

It’s launching big in 2026!

If you’re planning your next move, or building the kind of team that changes outcomes, this is where you’ll want to be.

2025 set the stage.
2026 will raise it! 

#TalentExecutives #ExecutiveSearch #LeadershipHiring #2026Ready #ExecutiveNetwork #NetworkingExecutives

No alternative text description for this image

First meeting of 2026 with one of my favorite people. ☕️

Joe Fang and I grabbed coffee to map out what we’re focused on this year and where we’re taking our businesses in the new year.

Clear priorities. Real strategy. And always a little laughter in between.

Starting the year this way just feels right. 🤝

What’s your #1 focus for 2026?

Talent Executives Group 
Networking Executives

On February 5th, DallasMeetup’s Pro Sports Cohort takes over Frisco with a high-energy networking night overlooking the football field at The Star in Frisco!  

Concrete Cowboy will be packed with representatives from Dallas-area professional sports teams, the Dallas Sports Commission, agencies, operators, partners, strategists, and technologists who work behind the scenes in the sports industry.

If you care about:
⚽ The business of sports
⚾ Who’s actually doing the work
📊 Relationships that start fast and compound over time

You’ll want to be there!  
I will be!

👉 RSVP: https://luma.com/c8ankchj

Francis Mesina, MBA, LUTCF, FSCP, CLTC Francis Enyinnaya Ufomadu Thomas Brachey, PMP Kyle Gray Tyler Riddell, Leadership MBA Aaron Witherspoon Alexie Estrada Chris Martin Bobby Miller Lacey Garner Mati Fombang Bahadir 'Baha' Koseli Tad W Perryman Ichan Stall James Wang Dane Fuentes Jil Smith Joe Fang Chris Nieto Jessica Stettler Carson Gibbons Networking Executives

Open article: DallasMeetup at Concrete Cowboy Frisco · Luma by luma.com

DallasMeetup at Concrete Cowboy Frisco · Luma

We’re headed to a launch party in California tomorrow, to announce something we’ve never offered before!

Be on the lookout for a steady stream of announcements, new collaborations, and partnerships we’re proud to celebrate this year. 🎊

The first one drops later this week. 🎤

If you want a preview, check out our new website!

Take a look and tell me what new offering you notice! 👀  

Hint: we have a whole page dedicated to it!

Talent Executives Group

Open article: Talent Executives Group by talentexecutivesgroup.com

The best outcomes often start in a conversation no one planned.

🔹 We’ve seen a founder meet their future president over lunch.

🔹 A CFO find the investor who reshaped their entire board.

🔹A COO connect with a partner who unlocked growth across five markets.

None of it started with a job description.
All of it started with access.

At a certain level, leadership is less about credentials and more about collision.

Putting the right people in the same room, before the urgency shows up.

That’s when doors open without being knocked on.

That’s when decisions feel obvious.

Don’t miss the opportunity you didn’t know you were one conversation away from.

“I’m not sure they’re a culture fit.”

It’s a phrase that comes up often when a finalist is passed over.

But too often, it’s a catch-all that covers for something else:

→ Unclear expectations.
→ Discomfort with new perspectives.
→ Or internal misalignment that the team hasn’t fully addressed.

When “culture fit” becomes a vague filter, it doesn’t protect your company.

It limits it.

At Talent Executives Group, we believe cultural alignment matters deeply;

→  But only when it’s defined intentionally.

It’s not about sameness.

It’s about shared values, complementary thinking, and behavioral consistency with how the business actually operates.

The best leaders don’t always mirror your team.

But they do reflect what your culture is capable of becoming.

Culture fit is not a vibe.

It’s not how well someone “gets along.”
And it’s not something you decide over lunch.

At the executive level, culture fit is measurable.

It’s a pattern of values, behaviors, and decisions that reflect how the business really works.
Not just how it’s described.

Here’s what we look at:
🔹 These insights don’t come from resumes or references.
🔹They come from honest conversations, behavioral mapping, and alignment with the CEO’s actual vision, not just the job description.
🔹Cultural alignment isn’t soft.

It’s one of the hardest, most strategic parts of an executive hire.

When it’s right, the impact isn’t just visible.
It’s felt across the business.

This is the lens we bring to every retained search we lead.

Announcing our new strategic partnership with Gig Talent! 

A collab that we knew was the right fit, from our initial meeting!

Pics below are from Gig Talent’s 2026 kick off event in California, featuring Amplify Executive Search.

Welcome to our collaboration of flat fee pricing for retained search and 90 days of leadership coaching for the new hire!

Talent Executives Group
Jamie Jacobs Tona Blount Melissa Lambert Hopkins Mary Porst Kelly Etter

It’s official - Amplify Executive Search is LIVE! 

We’re thrilled to introduce Amplify Executive Search, our boutique retained search offering in collaboration with our incredible partners at Talent Executives Group. Together, we’re redefining what executive search can be, moving beyond just filling a seat to setting leaders up for sustained success from day one and beyond.

What makes Amplify different?
-A flat-fee retained model built on transparency and partnership.
-Precision search paired with leadership launch coaching.
-Support for cultural alignment and accelerating impact in the first 90 days of a new hire.

Thank you, Amy Sulgrove, for joining us on this journey. We're just getting started!

Learn more about how Amplify Executive Search can help you find the right leader and set them up to thrive: https://lnkd.in/gFkTpHDd

#ExecutiveSearch #Leadership #TalentStrategy #GigTalent #AmplifyExecutiveSearch Jamie Jacobs Kelly Etter

The strongest candidates are rarely the ones chasing the loudest roles.

They’re leading.
Building.
Listening for the right opportunity to show up with clarity, not chaos.

What turns them off?

🔹 Vague roles
🔹Conflicting messages
🔹Lack of alignment across leadership

Top candidates can tell when a company hasn’t done its homework.
The hiring process doesn’t just evaluate them.

It reveals you.

Nikki Duncan, PMP, BSM, what a fun episode!  Thank you for having me and I am now on a mission to adjust the lighting when I work from the home office ;).   

Loved chatting about my passion: Talent Executives Group and Networking Executives, as well as having so many in common connections that we were able to talk about as well!  Cheers to a great year ahead!

Joe Fang Chris Barnes Dylan M. Rafaty (deaf/HoH)

Woman of Impact Nominee | Operations Specialist | Leader | Speaker | I make life easier for executives and small businesses by bridging the chasm between vision and action. Let me rein in your chaos!

New Episode Alert! 

I recently sat down with Amy Sulgrove and heard her take on recruiting and networking. 

Leaders: Are you solving for what you think you need, or what you actually need? Amy reminds us that clarity starts with curiosity. Building aligned teams means going deeper than the job title.

Jobseekers: Are you curious what's happening in the lives of recruiters? Do you need tips on how to network effectively? 

This is the episode for you! 

https://lnkd.in/gyZ4wgqt

#ScalingWithHeart #NikkiDuncan #Podcast

Share with your professional network and help them know where to be and when! 🤝

Introducing: The Network Effect! 🎉  

This brand new weekly newsletter by Networking Executives gives you the full rundown of professional networking events happening in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Read on to see what's happening this week and make sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on the latest events!

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Network Effect - your weekly source for curated high-impact networking events in Dallas-Fort Worth, compiled b

Open article: The Network Effect: January 18-24, 2026 by Networking Executives • 2 min read

Most leadership exits don’t happen overnight.

They’re the result of small signals ignored over time:
🔹 Clarity replaced by confusion
🔹Momentum replaced by friction
🔹Trust replaced by silence

The signs are always there.
But many companies don’t track the early indicators,
They only manage the aftermath.

Retention starts by noticing what’s no longer being said.

You launch the search.
You build momentum.

Then halfway through... everything slows down.

It’s not the market.
It’s not the role.
It’s internal indecision.

Unaligned expectations, shifting priorities, or unclear ownership behind the scenes can quietly derail even the best-laid search strategy.

The problem isn’t speed.
It’s structural clarity.

And without it, every candidate, no matter how strong, feels like a risk.

I used to think networking was just for extroverts, salespeople, or people trying to land their next job. Then I learned that real networking—the kind that builds trust, opens doors, and helps people stay and grow in their careers—is just consistent, human connection.

That realization shaped everything I do now.

Today, I split my time between two worlds:

At Retention and Rewards Partners, I work with HR leaders to solve complex problems around compensation, benefits, and employee retention. I’ve led total rewards teams through M&A deals, culture transformations, open enrollments, and board-level pay strategy. But underneath all the spreadsheets and systems is one simple goal: build workplaces where people want to stay.

And as the founder of The Introverted Networker, I teach professionals how to build strong relationships—without small talk, events, or pretending to be someone they’re not. I write a weekly newsletter, lead corporate workshops, and coach people on how to connect with others in a way that feels real and doable.

My work might look different depending on the day, but it’s all connected by one belief: when people feel seen, supported, and fairly treated, they stay. And when they build trusted relationships at work, they thrive.

If you care about building workplaces where people stay and succeed—or you’re trying to grow your network in a way that actually feels good—I’d love to connect.


Here are other ways I can help you:

⇨ Sign up for my newsletter, "The Introverted Networker," to get tips to improve your networking.

⇨ Get my FREE course, "5 Steps To Grow Your Professional Network," to get the exact networking blueprint I follow every week to grow my own network.

⇨ Follow me to learn how to find new connections without going to networking events

⇨ Download my guide "15 Minute Networking"

⇨ Get my book "The Fast and Easy Guide To Networking For Introverts"

All the links for these resources are in my Featured section above!

The best way to contact me is via email: greg@gregsroche.com

Greg Roche

Most networking advice is 20 years out of date.
Here’s what actually works now.
 
Most of what we were taught doesn’t fit how networking actually happens.
 
Here are a few ideas worth letting go of (and what to do instead):
 
• “𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.”
That’s incomplete. What matters is who knows 𝘺𝘰𝘶 and why they trust you.
 
• “𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆.”
Most real connections don’t start with speeches.
They start with curiosity and listening.
 
• “𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.”
That’s pressure no one needs.
Networking works better when it’s about helping, not pitching.
 
• “𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.”
Hundreds of people on your contact list rarely beat a handful of real relationships..
 
• “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯.”
That’s like watering a plant only when it’s dying.
 
• “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.”
You need follow-through, not cardstock.
 
• “𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆.”
Some of the best ideas and opportunities come from outside your bubble.
 
• “𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀.”
Most meaningful connections happen one conversation at a time, not in crowded rooms.
 
Networking isn’t a formula.
 
It’s a long game built on trust, relevance, and consistency.
 
If networking feels awkward, it’s often because you were taught the wrong rules.

If you want to learn the new rules of networking,

Do one of these:
✅ Subscribe to my newsletter-click link on top of the post
✅ Leave a comment: it tells the algo you want more
✅ Share this post with your LinkedIn network

Doing these guarantees I'll be in your feed.

I'll teach you to be a more confident networker, whether you're an introvert, extrovert, or something in between.

I teach professionals to connect and build trust. Founder Retention and Rewards Partners. Solving retention and total rewards challenges for HR leaders who need results, not more noise. Aka: The Introverted Networker.

January 2 is World Introvert Day.
 
You probably didn’t know that.
 
Most introverts don’t announce it.
We don’t post about it.
We don’t make a big deal out of it.
 
Which is kind of the point.
 
Introverts don’t avoid people.
They avoid noise.
 
They think before they speak.
They listen more than they talk.
They prefer depth over attention.
 
At work, that often gets mistaken for disengagement.
 
But many of the most thoughtful leaders, problem solvers, and connectors I know are introverts.

They just operate quietly.
 
World Introvert Day isn’t about being louder.

It’s about recognizing that contribution doesn’t always look like speaking first or the most.
 
Sometimes it looks like preparation.
Or follow-through.
Or a one-to-one conversation that actually matters.
 
If you’re an introvert, nothing to announce today.
Just a reminder that how you work is not a flaw.
 
And if you lead others, today might be a good day to notice the quieter voices in the room.
 
They usually have something worth hearing.


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

I talk a lot about networking. 
And building better workplaces.

If you want to become a more confident networker,

Do one of these:
✅ Hit "View my newsletter" at the top of this post
✅ Leave a comment: it tells the algo you want more
✅ Share this post with your LinkedIn network

Doing these guarantees I'll be in your feed.

The biggest career lesson I learned didn’t come from a win.
It came from a layoff.

For a long time, I believed something that felt reasonable:
 
If you work hard,
If you do good work,
If you stay loyal,
 
You'll be fine.
 
I wasn’t careless.
I wasn’t checked out.
I wasn’t underperforming.
 
I had years of strong reviews.
I had momentum.
I had credibility.
 
So I assumed stability was earned.
 
Then one meeting changed everything.
 
My boss walked into my office and my role was eliminated.
 
Not because of something I did.
Not because I failed.
Because the business shifted.
 
That was the moment I learned a quiet lesson most people never get until it’s too late:
 
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁.
 
And when it does, the question isn't how good you were at your last role.
 
The question is who knows you now.
 
At the time, my answer was uncomfortable.
 
I'd focused so much on doing the work that I hadn’t invested in relationships outside my immediate circle.
 
No regular check-ins.
No light touchpoints.
No habit of staying connected.
 
I thought networking was something you did when you needed something.

Turns out it works best when you don’t.
 
Your network is not just a job search tool.
It' your Career Insurance Policy.

Like most insurance policies, it's:

Quiet.
Boring.
Incredibly effective.
 
You build it while things are calm so it’s there when things are not.
 
If you have a job right now, this is not a warning.
 
It’s an opportunity.
 
Create your Career Insurance Policy one conversation at a time.


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

If don't have Career Insurance, but know you need it,

Do one of these:
✅ Hit "View my newsletter" at the top of this post
✅ Leave a comment: it tells the algo you want more
✅ Share this post with your LinkedIn network

Doing these helps me help you create your Career Insurance Policy

Most people network the wrong way.
Here’s what actually works.

The standard networking advice tells you to do more.
 
Meet more people.
Go to more events.
Collect more contacts.
 
That’s usually the wrong move.
 
Networking works better when you slow it down.
 
One person.
One conversation.
One relationship at a time.
 
You don’t need to start with strangers in a crowded room.
 
Start with people you already know.
 
Reach back out.
Ask what they’re working on.
Share what you’re focused on right now.
 
Then do the part most people skip.
 
Ask who else you should know.
Ask for an introduction.
 
That’s how networks actually grow.
Not by casting a wide net.
But by building outward, intentionally.
 
It sounds slower on paper.
 
In practice, it’s more efficient and a lot more human.
 
Try it once this week.


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

I talk a lot about networking. 
And building better workplaces.

If you want to become a more confident networker,

Do one of these:
✅ Hit "View my newsletter" at the top of this post
✅ Leave a comment: it tells the algo you want more
✅ Share this post with your LinkedIn network

Doing these guarantees I'll be in your feed.

You made a 2026 plan.
Life’s about to mess with it.

Some people have tattoos.
 
My wife has one.
My kids have them.
 
I don’t.
 
Not because I dislike them.

I just have never found the one image or sentence I want on my body forever.
 
But there's one that comes close.
 
“Man plans. God laughs.”

It's a Yiddish proverb.
I think about it a lot.
 
I make plans.
Life changes them.
 
I aim in one direction.
Something unexpected shows up.
 
A door opens.
Another one closes.
 
And the path shifts.
  
Last week, a lot of people made plans.
 
Carefully thought-out goals.
Color-coded calendars.
Notion dashboards.
Twelve-month roadmaps that look very confident.
 
By December 31, 2026, your life will look different.
 
Different than it does today.
And different than the plans you made last week.
 
Not because you failed.
Because God laughed.
Because life moved.
 
Why plan at all?
 
Because plans matter.
 
Plans signal intention.
They show what you care about.
They give you a direction to walk toward.
 
You'll get farther with a plan than without one.
 
But here is the quiet part most people forget:
 
Your job is not to follow the plan perfectly.
Your job is to keep going when the plan breaks.
 
To adjust.
To learn.
To take the next small step when the original path disappears.
 
God laughs.
Plans change.
 Progress still counts.
 
I don't have a big motivational message today.
 
Just a reminder.
 
Life isn't going to follow the outline you wrote last week.
 
And that's not a bug.
It's a feature.
 
Keep moving.
Keep becoming.
Even when the path looks nothing like you expected.
 
That still counts.
You might end up someplace better than you expected.

Your most valuable connections aren’t strangers.
They’re people you already know.

Every January, I see the same thing happen.
 
Smart, capable people feel pressure to have a networking plan.
 
New goals.
New contacts.
New conversations they are supposed to start.
 
For a lot of introverted professionals, that pressure is exactly what makes them stop.
 
The idea of building a brand-new network from scratch feels exhausting.

Too many unknowns.
Too much energy.
Too much noise.
 
Here's what I'll tell you:
 
You do not need a new network.
You already have one.
 
It is made up of people from earlier chapters of your life.

Former teammates.
Classmates.
Managers.
Clients.

Most of us forget about them.
 
These are called dormant ties.

Not because the relationship is gone, but because it's been inactive for a while.
 
Reconnecting with dormant ties is easier than meeting someone new.

There's already context.
There's already trust.
You're not starting from zero.
 
One practical shift that helps.
 
When you use LinkedIn, don't just look for people who are still at companies you worked for.
 
Search for people who used to work there and have moved on.
 
Former coworkers who now have new roles and new experiences often make for the best conversations.

They know where you came from and can speak honestly about what they have learned since.
 
The outreach doesn't need to be complicated.
 
A simple hello is enough.
 
No ask.
No pitch.
No agenda.
 
Just a genuine check-in.
 
If this sounds like a better way to start networking this year, I go much deeper into how to do this calmly and consistently in this week’s Introverted Networker.
 
The full breakdown is there if you want it.

https://lnkd.in/gqzKQVCj


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

If you want to join the mission to change the way the world feels about networking,

Do one of these:
✅ Leave a comment: it tells the algo you want more
✅ Subscribe to my newsletter-click link in the post
✅ Share this post with your LinkedIn network

Doing these guarantees I'll be in your feed.

Open article: How to Restart Your Networking Without Starting Over by theintrovertednetworker.substack.com

How to Restart Your Networking Without Starting Over

From stuck to strategic:
How to reset your job search in 2026.

Most VPs and Directors don’t stall out because of their resume.

They stall out because they’re using the 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 that worked five or ten years ago.
 
And the market has changed.
 
If you’re:
• Thinking about a strategic move in the next 6–12 months
• Actively searching and feeling stuck
• Trying to pivot scope, function, or industry
• Or realizing applications alone aren’t cutting it
 
I’m co-hosting a 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 with Jennie Champagne to help you rebuild your approach from the ground up.
 
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆
 
This session blends two perspectives most leaders never get at the same time:
 
• How recruiters 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 evaluate and advance candidates today
  
• How relationships quietly move opportunities forward long before roles are posted
 
You’ll learn:
• How to clearly articulate your value so it creates real interest
  
• How to avoid the recruiting black hole
  
• How to structure a search that produces momentum, not burnout
  
• How to use networking in a way that feels human, not transactional
 
If you’re ready to reset your strategy for the year ahead, this is for you: https://lnkd.in/gYdWNUqW

The biggest mistake I see every January:
Vague goals that lead to missed connections.

Every year, I see the same thing happen.
 
Smart, capable people freeze.
 
Not because they lack ambition.

Because they feel pressure to have an answer.
 
• “What’s your plan this year?”
• “What are you working toward?”
• “What’s next for you?”
  
They've never thought about it, so they default to safe, vague replies.
 
• “I’m just seeing what’s out there.”
• “I’m open to whatever.”
• “I want something different, but I’m not sure yet.”
  
Those answers feel reasonable.
They also make it very hard for anyone to help you.
 
Here’s the quiet truth I’ve learned.
 
Networking doesn’t feel awkward because you need a pitch.

It feels awkward because you don’t have direction.
 
When you’re unclear, every conversation carries extra weight.

You’re trying to sound open without saying anything concrete.
 
Clarity removes that tension.
It doesn’t make you pushy.
It makes you understandable.
 
One small shift helps more than people expect.
 
Instead of leading with a job title, try this:
 
“I help ___ do ___.”

First blank - who do you help?
Second blank - what do you help them do?
 
No polish.
No selling.
Just clarity.
 
Or, if that feels too heavy, try an “I believe” statement.
 
“I believe work relationships shouldn’t feel transactional.”
“I believe clarity leads to calmer careers.”
 
Both give people something real to respond to.
 
Here’s a simple question to sit with this week:
 
If someone asked how they could help you this year, what would you actually say?
 
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need something directional.
 
I wrote more about this in this week’s 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳, including a short exercise to make this easier to answer.
 
If this post was helpful, the full issue goes deeper: https://lnkd.in/gMSJAgSD

Introverts struggle with this one networking moment:
Sometimes we don't speak up.

We're uncomfortable telling people how they can help us because it feels like we're taking advantage of them.

People want to help. 

If you make it hard for them, they won't help.

One time, I was on a call with a professional connection of mine.

I did all the things I tell other people to do:

1. Re-connected with someone I used to work with
2. Had a voice to voice conversation
3. I gave my advice on some problems she was working on

Then she said the magic words, "How can I help you?"

I didn't have anything prepared. 

I didn't say something like:

• Who is someone you've met recently that I should know?
• You have a friend I'd like to connect with.
• Could you introduce me to X?

Any of those things might have helped me with my own network.

Any one of them would have made me easy to help.

But when she said, "How can I help you?" 

I said, "Nothing, right now."

Ahhh!

I didn't tell her what would help me.

And I lost the opportunity.

Make sure when you are networking, you are:
1. Clear in your own mind how people can help you
2. You tell them how they can help you, when asked


𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦 𝗧𝗜𝗣: If you truly can't think of anything and someone says "Thank You, how can I help you?" remember this line from Dr. Robert Cialdini:

"𝗢𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲, 𝗜’𝗺 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲."

This opens the door to you feeling more confident asking that person to help you in the future.



I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

I talk a lot about networking. 
And building better workplaces.

If you want to become a more confident networker,

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