Beyond Networking: How Relationships Drive Business Performance

It happens more frequently than most leaders admit: you’ve just finished an engaging conversation with someone you met at a networking event, exchanged business cards, and then… silence. Who follows up? Do you make the first move? Do you wait for the other person to reach out? Who holds the cards here? For leaders, this hesitation often translates into missed opportunities. 

Andy Lopata, an associate faculty at Headspring and co-author of the Financial Times Guide to Mentoring, argues that such reluctance is more than just poor etiquette; it’s fundamentally disrespectful. “You’ve cost them time,” Lopata says bluntly. “That time they could’ve spent with someone else who would have followed up.” 

But if the logic is clear, why do people hesitate? Lopata diagnoses a frequent cause: imposter syndrome. Leaders who are used to engage confidently in boardrooms suddenly doubt their value in less structured conversations. “If you’ve had a good conversation with someone who has come specifically to meet people and explore mutual interests, why would you think you’d be bothering them?” Lopata challenges. “Follow up isn’t pushy, it’s polite.” 

To navigate this ambiguity, Lopata offers a pragmatic rule of thumb he calls “24-7-30”: a follow-up within 24 hours with a simple acknowledgment, another touchpoint after seven days – such as a personalised LinkedIn request – and a concrete proposal to meet again within 30 days. According to him, this approach helps even the most hesitant networker to know what to do and when.  

For leaders who may not naturally feel inclined to network or build relationships, Lopata offers hope. “Introverts are often much better at building relationships than extroverts. They listen, they’re thoughtful, and they focus on the needs of others rather than dominating conversations,” he points out.

The Hidden Cost of Weak Internal Relationships  

Yet, Lopata believes the core issue runs deeper than individual uncertainties. He points to a broader cultural misalignment within leadership itself. Traditional Western views of leadership value a figure of solitary strength and decisive command – traits at odds with effective networking, which requires openness, reciprocity, and even vulnerability. 

“We have a problem in Western culture where strong leadership is defined by certainty and authority,” Lopata notes. “We need a shift of that model. Leadership should involve leading from among, not from above. Great leaders don’t necessarily have all the answers; they surround themselves with people who help find the right direction.” 

But for such leadership style to emerge, it becomes particularly relevant to strengthen relationships internally, which Lopata identifies as perhaps the most undervalued type of networking. He shares an example of a high-performing but transactional leadership team whose effectiveness was compromised by weak internal relationships. The consequence? A silent wave of distrust and disconnection across teams. 

“The real problem arises between teams, creating silos where collaboration fails because personal relationships are weak,” Lopata explains. He offers a simple but potent insight: people generally help colleagues for three reasons: because they’re instructed to, because they perceive a personal benefit, or simply because they like the other person. “Only the third reason is sustainable,” he observes. 

How can leaders effectively build a sustainable network of relationships? Lopata recommends intentional, structured efforts such as cross-team mentoring programmes, shadowing initiatives, and relationship mapping exercises to identify trust levels within teams. According to him, relationships are as strategic as any business decision – yet too often overlooked until internal fractures become visible in poor collaboration and stalled innovation. 

Lopata compares professional relationship-building with brand management. Consistency, reliability, and trust underpin successful brand – qualities which he considers equally crucial in professional interactions. “Trust comes from consistently delivering against promises,” Lopata argues. One misstep might not irreparably damage a strong relationship, but it introduces doubt – a subtle erosion every leader should actively prevent. 

In a highly transactional corporate environment, Lopata encourages leaders to ask themselves a hard question: How many relationships fail due to hesitation, pride, or complacency?  

Lopata’s full interview – available Headspring’s Learning Rewired podcast – offers not merely a framework for networking but a challenge to re-evaluate the basic elements of leadership itself.  

The message is clear: relationships are not just social; they’re strategic imperatives.