Leaders need a range of types of people in their network. It’s important to periodically review and refresh how you are engaging with your networks. Is it up to date with your current plans and achievements? Are you making the most from your network and are they getting the most from you?
Conduct the short mapping exercise in the Imperial Academic’s Success Guide to reflect on who is currently in your network, where you might want to strengthen existing ties (including updating them on what you’re doing now!) or seek out new connections. You may also be reminded of people who you are now in a good position to support or mentor.
“Networking with others has helped me find a sense of belonging and camaraderie.”
Read more from this career story.
What will you take forward?
One thing to try: Name one relationship in your network that would benefit from refreshing, deepening, or simply reconnecting without an agenda. When will you contact them?
Related Resouces
See all Established Researcher resources
Create a group charter or lab book
Clarify expectations, values, and ways of working in your group to save time, reduce friction, and support inclusion, creativity and good research practice.
Ensure your external-facing work is recognised, using the Knowledge Exchange Concordat
Use frameworks to legitimise and protect time for external engagement work so it’s not seen as an extra.
Be strategic with your time investment: Pay your future self
Invest time in your future self, not just today’s urgencies, using a simple reflective model.
Leading an institutional move with a research team, navigating what cannot be controlled, and prioritising the success of others over my own agenda
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