Therese Miclot LLC

I'm all about helping leaders up their game. I offer skills and coaching that accelerate results. I provide dynamic, top-notch facilitation and I can deliver it in-person or virtual. I collaborate with my clients to create custom learning experiences that shift behaviors and mindsets for maximum impact.

Leadership Development Consultant

Proteus International

Director, Facilitation Excellence

I worked with organizations to ensure their employees have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, by supporting clients to build and then deliver Proteus' practical, skill-based learning solutions.

Practice Director, Building Skills and Knowledge

Rockwell Automation

Manager, Global Learning & Development

Manager, HR Strategy & Planning

Manager, Talent Acquisition

Brilliant at the job. Struggling with leadership.
That’s the gap that stalls growth, burns out top talent, and slows execution.

I’m an executive coach for technical leaders who want to stop firefighting and start scaling.

For over 25 years, I’ve coached 4,000+ managers and executives across technology, SaaS, pharma, banking, media, and manufacturing. Most were promoted for technical excellence and left to figure out leadership on their own. That’s when performance dips, timelines slip, and teams get stuck reacting instead of driving growth.

I close that gap.

I help technical experts become strategic leaders who can:
• Communicate with influence in high-stakes rooms
• Build authentic executive presence (without pretending)
• Delegate effectively to remove leadership bottlenecks
• Lead through constant change without burnout
• Align technical and business stakeholders for faster decisions

This isn’t theory, it’s leadership development built through executive coaching, peer group programs, and facilitation skills pressure-tested in real rooms where leadership actually happens.

💡 Follow me here and subscribe to [The Shift], my weekly LinkedIn newsletter for practical strategies on:
• Turning technical experts into strategic leaders
• Building executive presence that sticks
• Delegation, feedback, and accountability that drive results
• Navigating high-stakes moments with clarity and calm
• Scaling leadership capacity in fast-growing companies

If your top talent is technically brilliant but struggling to scale their impact, let’s talk.
If you want tools and insights that make you a better leader every week, hit 🔔 and join The Shift.

Therese Miclot

Some programs deliver content.
 
This one delivers a shift. In voice. In presence. In what women believe they’re capable to do.
   
This was the third Rising Leaders EMEA cohort and I’m struck again by what happens when women have the space, structure, and support to lead on their own terms.
 
It’s a privilege to facilitate this program alongside my Proteus International colleague Marie Holive and to partner with The WICT Network Europe and The WICT Network who’ve made it their mission to grow not just women leaders, but transformational ones. 
 
These programs matter because they don’t ask women to lead like someone else.
 
They ask them to lead like 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.
 
To the participants (tagged in comments), you reminded me what that looks like in action.
 
Here’s to cohort three and to many more to come!

I help technical experts expand their impact, across teams, functions, and priorities. Believer that work moves at the speed of influence. Executive Coach. Facilitator. Leadership Development.

She thought she was being a great manager.
Until her team started avoiding her.

The fix?
She stopped helping.

One shift.
Zero hand-holding.
Everything changed.

🎥 Watch the clip. You’ll see exactly what I mean.

They got the title.
The team.
The trust.

Now they’re floundering and no one wants to say it out loud.

This week’s edition of The Shift is about what happens after the fast promotion when momentum fades, and confidence goes quiet.

He was the obvious choice. Promoted fast. Trusted to lead a large product team. Known for getting things done. The one leadership always counted on to

Open article: When Fast Promotions Backfire by Therese Miclot • 2 min read

It wasn’t a breach.
It wasn’t an incident.
It wasn’t a tool rollout or a long-awaited reorg.

The biggest unlock came from one cybersecurity leader who decided to show up differently.

Here’s what changed:

For 30 days, he practiced one simple habit:
→ Slow down before stepping in.

And as he did, he started noticing things he normally missed:

• Was I reacting, or actually leading?
• Did I explain the “why,” not just the “what”?
• Did I adjust to how others think, not just how I think?
• Did I move the work forward or just move it faster?

Not a checklist. A 30-day habit.

Here’s what shifted around him:

✅ Alignment happened early, instead of after the fact
✅ Fewer escalations, fewer interruptions
✅ Decisions held, even as new information came in
✅ His team stopped managing him and started managing the work

In his words:
“I finally created the clarity my team needed to stop spinning.”

This is what happens when a technical leader stops jumping into the weeds
and starts leading at the level their team actually needs.

Because when senior technical leaders stay stuck in execution:

• Teams overwork the wrong priorities
• Cross-functional efforts drag
• Rework multiplies
• Progress slows, even when the people are talented

Multiply that by 3, 5, or 12 leaders...
and the system slows down from the inside.

I’ve coached dozens of high-performing technical and security leaders through this exact shift. It’s not magic.
It’s a behavioral reset that drives real business outcomes.

If 2026 needs to move faster than 2025, make sure your top people aren’t unintentionally slowing the system.

👇 Where do you see leadership habits costing your team clarity or speed?

No alternative text description for this image

Your leadership program isn’t broken.
It’s just allergic to pressure.

In the room? Everyone agrees on what “good leadership” looks like.
But when the tension hits:
👻 Feedback vanishes
🧹 Conflict gets swept
🧍🏻♂️ Silence wins

We fixed that.
Not with more frameworks.
With one habit, repped daily, under real heat.

👇 Here’s how it worked.

YuR2ZJMnv

A leader once told me, “I’m never wrong about people.”
That was my first red flag.

Ever feel like you’re shouting into the void after flagging a risk to stakeholders?

You raise the red flag.
Everyone nods.
Then, nothing.

Crickets.
No next step. No reply.
But the problem is still sitting in your lap.

Here’s the line to crack the silence (steal this):

"Appreciate the convo, [Name]. I’ll sketch a quick summary with options impacts, something you can gut-check. Let me know if I’ve missed the mark."

Why does this work?
→ It keeps things light, but moves the ball forward
→ Shows you’re a partner, not a nag
→ Makes it simple for them to take action (or at least say yes/no)

In security, the real power move isn’t escalation.
It’s making the next step painless, so people want to say yes.

Stakeholders aren’t ignoring you on purpose.
Most are just overloaded and allergic to friction.

So next time the thread goes quiet, drop this line.
Watch the conversation pick back up.

Got your own magic line?
Share it below.

Cyber Leadership Coach | Security work moves at the speed of influence, not expertise | Helping Directors & future CISOs lead across teams, functions, and priorities.

I had a three-second cringe moment.
It stayed with me for hours.

Here’s why it matters and what it taught me about leading in high-pressure environments.

👇 Read this week's edition of The Shift

I had a moment this week. A small cringe. Barely a half-second long. But enough to follow me into the night. At 3:07am, my brain hit replay. Again. Ag

Open article: The 3am Leadership Trap by Therese Miclot • 2 min read

He was getting everything done, except what mattered most.

A technical leader I coached was known for execution.

🚩 And that was the problem. 🚩

He’d become essential for output, not for leadership.
People came to him for answers, not alignment.
He was solving problems, not shaping direction.

I’ve seen this pattern across the technical leaders I coach:
When their impact plateaus, it’s rarely a capability issue.
It’s an altitude issue.

So we focused on one habit over 30 days:
→ Set the altitude. Then lead from there.

That meant:
•Zooming out before weighing in
•Leading cross-functional conversations early, not reacting late
•Getting clear on the business priority before deciding on the team activity

He didn’t need more tools. He needed a shift in how he showed up.

And here’s what changed:
✅ Buy-in came faster
✅ Resistance dropped
✅ His own words: “Collaboration across peers got easier and faster.”

I work with fast-moving technical orgs to help high-performing leaders shift from doing to driving.

Because execution won’t scale your business. Leadership will.

If you’re watching someone on your team work twice as hard to have half the impact, they’re not underperforming. They’re just leading from the wrong altitude.

👇 Seeing this in your org? DM me and I’ll send you the habit we started with.

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #leadershiptips, #leadershipskills, #executivepresence, #facilitationskills, and #presentationskills

You could feel it, even if no one dared to say it.

One leader’s communication style had quietly reshaped how the whole security org operated.

He never said “my way or the highway." He didn’t have to.

❌ He jumped in with answers before the team finished their thought.
❌ He re-wrote decisions at the last minute.
❌ Always had the sharpest take in the room.

So the team adjusted:
 •Escalated every decision
 •Softened every update
 •Spent more time managing his reactions than managing the business

From the outside? It looked like high performance.
Incidents handled.
Audits passed.

But under the surface:
 •Decision quality dropped
 •Cross-functional meetings doubled
 •Trust quietly dried up

We spent 30 days building a single habit:
→ Lead from the right altitude.

He stopped jumping in to solve.
Started asking better questions.
Stopped being the exception everyone had to work around.

What changed?
✅ Faster incident response
✅ Tighter alignment across IT and business units
✅ Meetings ended with decisions and not more questions

His words:
“I thought I was protecting the org. I was actually limiting it.”

In security, the cost of invisible influence is real:
👉Latency
👉 Burnout
👉 Risk exposure

If you’re the technical expert everyone trusts, make sure you’re not also the bottleneck everyone’s tiptoeing around.

High-performing leaders don’t stall because they’re unmotivated.
They stall because the system lets them stay siloed.

One org brought me in when it became clear:

“We’re not having the conversations we need to have.”

The issues weren’t obvious at first.
But under the surface?
 • Priorities kept misaligning
 • Decisions were getting reworked
 • And leaders were busy, not connected

So we tried something simple and different:

🟢 Each person chose one visible leadership behavior to practice
🟢 They got paired with a peer for accountability
🟢 They tracked their progress weekly, in real conversations, not hypotheticals

Here’s what happened:

✅ 70% made a clear commitment
✅ 100% with an accountability partner followed through
✅ Those who worked on “flexing” saw an 80% behavior shift

But what mattered most?

Their teams felt it.
 • Meetings moved faster
 • Direction got clearer
 • Less time spent decoding leaders who didn’t know how to adjust

This is the gap most leadership programs miss.
You don’t just need smarter leaders.
You need them to build new habits that the org can feel and trust.

👇 If your leaders are still being rewarded for speed, but not for how they lead, you’re not building capacity. You’re burning it.

🟢 I build behavior systems inside high-pressure orgs so leaders don’t stall growth.
If that’s what you need in 2026, DM me.

If you’re praising all-nighters, you’re rewarding your own broken system.

Watch this before your next ‘hero’ story goes viral inside the company.

Cyber leadership changes quietly.
 
 
One day, what got you promoted
 
is no longer what you’re evaluated on  and no one tells you the rules changed.

Accuracy Trap_Dec 15

Most high performers don’t burn out from the work.
They burn out from being the only one who can do the work.

Grateful to Teresa Conroy-Roth for inviting me into a conversation on why over-performance often makes leaders invisible and how to change that narrative.

This one’s for anyone feeling stuck between doing the work and leading the work.

Trusted Advisor - Board Member - Executive Engagement - Coach

⚡ Lightning Leadership - Therese Miclot - “Is Excellence Limiting Your Leadership?”
Therese challenges a belief many CIOs and senior executives hold: that excellence always accelerates your career. But what if being exceptional is actually making you invisible?

Far too many high performers become the “go-to super-doer”—the person who quietly carries the weight of the organization, delivers flawlessly, and solves every problem… often at the cost of being seen as a leader rather than a workhorse.
 🔹 Why excellence can become a trap—and how over-performance hides your strategic value
 🔹 The turning point when being indispensable actually limits influence, growth, and opportunity
 🔹 How overwhelmed high achievers can step out of execution mode and step into leadership identity

Therese offers one powerful step you can take today:
 👉 Stop saying yes automatically.  Create space—mental, emotional, and strategic—by pausing before you commit. Leadership requires capacity, clarity, and the ability to operate above the work, not inside it.

This episode is a must-listen for CIOs, executives, and emerging leaders navigating the tension between excellence and elevation.
#LightningLeadership #ExecutivePresence #CIOLeadership #HighPerformance #LeadershipGrowth

You look at your team and think,
“They’re good. But are they ready?”

Every growth-stage company hits this point:
The business scales faster than the leaders.

And suddenly, you’re stuck managing the people who were supposed to help you scale.

This edition of The Shift is for the founders, CEOs, and execs who’ve locked in next year’s budget but are staring down a bigger question:

Who’s actually ready to carry this?

Most leaders set goals to do more.
The smart ones set goals to be different.

If you’re mapping development goals for yourself or your team,
this question will change the conversation
and that’s exactly the work I help leaders do.

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

They don’t comment.
They don’t connect.
Then the layoff hits.

They only log into LinkedIn when it's too late.

A lot of people need to read this.

But they won't.

They aren't on LinkedIn today, 

So they won't see this post.

I search LinkedIn for people who do the same job in my area.

I try to connect so we can build a professional relationship.

I click on their profiles.

They have fewer than 500 connections.

They haven't commented or anything for years.

They've been at the same company for 8, 10, 20 years.

You know what this tells me?

They aren't networking.

They're telling themselves:

"𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯."
"𝗜'𝗺 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿."
"𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?"

They never log into LinkedIn, until:

👎The company is acquired and their role is eliminated, or
👎Their boss retires and their new boss doesn't click, or
👎A global pandemic ruins the entire industry.

Then, they:

🚫Apply for jobs online.
🚫Re-write their resume.
🚫Practice answering interview questions.

It doesn't get them a job.

They've heard they need to grow their network, but they forgot:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

If you know someone who doesn't engage on LinkedIn at least once a week, tell them:

✔️They need to grow their professional network.
✔️They need to connect with people on LI.
✔️They need to do it before they need it.

Today is the right time.
Tomorrow is too late.


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

I teach introverts to be confident networkers.

If you want to start networking today,

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 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.

Your network gets you hired.
Not your resume.

What everyone thinks it takes to get a job:
• Snappy elevator pitch
• Professionally written resume
• Attention-grabbing cover letter
• Impressive follow-up thank you letter
• Unique answers to all the interview questions

What most people are missing:
• A vibrant, professional network, that's
• Committed to introducing one another to
• Opportunities and connections that are mutually beneficial

If you're focused on the first set of bullet points without the second,

You're not going to get the results you want.

Spend 80% of your job search on the second set and 20% on the first.

Not sure how?

1. Send your former co-workers an email or a LI message saying, "I thought of you today and realized we haven't spoken in a while. How have you been?"

2. As your get responses, turn these online interactions into real world conversations.

3. Ask people about themselves and listen for opportunities to help.

4. Figure out what you can give. Give advice, recommendations, or introductions.

5. Create a target list of companies or people to whom you want to be introduced.

6. Give this list to your connections to make it easy for them to help you meet someone new.

7. When your connection introduces you to someone new, go back to step 2 and repeat.

This is The Connection Loop.
This is how you network.

It takes time.
Start today.


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

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.

If you think it’s too late to start networking, read this.

I get message from people all the time that say:
 "I should have started networking sooner," 

If that's you, here's my response:

There's no shame in it.

I was right there with you 13 years ago when I lost my job.

• I never reached out to people.
• I didn't stay in touch with former co-workers.
• I wasn't offering little bits of value to my network.

The same place you are right now.

And, I learned how to grow my network one small step at a time.

It wasn't easy.

At the time, I thought I'd never find my next job.

But, I kept at it.
Kept talking to people.

Finally, It paid off.

When I landed my next job, I promised myself I'd never be "under-networked" again.

I kept networking even though I didn't need a job.
It was the easiest networking I've ever done.

Now, I teach people how to network because I know how it feels to have no idea where to start.

Each time I hear from someone who says,

"I know I should have been networking. Now, I'm behind and trying to catch up,"

I see myself all those years ago.

But, I don't judge them.

I don't think,

"I've been here on LinkedIn every day for the past 4+ years talking about networking before you need it.

Where have you been?"

Ok, maybe that's the first thought I have, but it's quickly replaced with...

"Let me show you what I've learned."

So, if you're in the middle of a job search,
All I've got to say is:

"It's ok. We've all been there.
Don't lose hope. It'll get better."


I'm Greg, The Introverted Networker!

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

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

8 years ago, on my birthday, I got a package at work:
A separation package.

I didn't get let go on my birthday.

It happened a couple of weeks earlier.

But my birthday was my last day.

The departure was amicable.
I went to work every day.

I believe, if you can, show up until the last day.
The memory people keep of you is the last one.

If you go out with your head high, in a respectful way, that's what they'll remember.

Don't ghost your co-workers.
Don't talk bad about your leaders.
Don't re-create the quitting scene from Jerry Maguire.

Even if that's what you want to do.

Three weeks after my birthday, I got another present.
I started my next role working in a larger company with more opportunity.

I activated my network when I found out I was being let go,
And quickly landed another job.

The role lead to bigger and bigger roles,
With more responsibility and money.

It allowed me to grow my credibility and savings.
It also allowed me to grow my Introverted Networker brand on LI and my newsletter.

7 years later, I launched my own company.

Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't turned in my badge and laptop on my birthday in 2017.

But my point is this:

If you're facing a job loss,
Today's end, is tomorrow's beginning.

Tomorrow, the story starts a new chapter.
It's a blank page.

You get to write whatever you want on it.

I learned this lesson when I turned 43.

And it's the best birthday gift I ever received.



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.

A lot of people don't believe it
But, this is the best time of the year to network. 

This is the season of gratitude and generosity.

In the U.S., Thanksgiving lands at the end of November. 
All month, we're pausing to reflect on everything we have.

We roll into December and give to others in the spirit of the religious holidays in the month.

Two mindsets:

• Gratitude
• Generosity

These are the most important mindsets in networking.

Gratitude grounds us appreciating what we have,
Which leads us to being generous with it and giving it to others.

Without these, you're networking with a scarcity mindset.

You're focused on what you need in the moment.
Not what you can give to others.

Your networking will be transactional and superficial.

When you're focused on gratitude and generosity,
You'll be thinking of others.

When we help others, we grow deeper relationships.

The power of reciprocity kicks in and what we put in the world comes back to us, often in multiples.

This time of year, more people are in the gratitude and generosity mindset.

More people are thinking in terms of abundance.

So, don't pack it in and stop connecting between now and the end of the year.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

What are you doing today to reach out with gratitude and generosity?

If starting conversations feels like the hardest part of networking, you’re not alone.

In yesterday's poll, it was the #1 networking challenge people face.

Here’s the good news:
You don’t have to start with strangers.

You can start with people who already know you.

The goal isn’t to send a perfect message.

The goal is to restart the relationship and eventually talk like real humans again.

Start simple:
“Hey, it’s been a while. How are things going?”

That’s it.

No ask.
No pitch.
No favor.
No résumé.
No “can we chat about opportunities?”

A few reminders if this still feels awkward:
• You’re not cold-messaging.
• These people already know your name.
• You don’t need a “reason.”
• A delayed reply isn’t rejection. People are busy

When they respond, try to move from online message → real conversation

Focus the conversation on them.

Be curious, not impressive.

Because networking grows most when you go from messages to conversations

If Starting Conversations is your sticking point, you’re not broken.

You’re just one message away from momentum.

Try it this week:

Pick one person from your past and send that simple line.

Then let me know how it goes.


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:
✅ 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.

There are 3 types of people you need in your network:
+, -, and =

"+" People who are ahead of you. They have knowledge and experience you can tap into.

"-"  People who are behind you. They can benefit from your knowledge and experience.

"=" People who are even with you. They share the same challenges and successes.


It's easy to focus on the people ahead of you in your networking efforts.

Don't forget to connect with people who are even with or behind you.

Everyone can be a networking connection, if you're having great networking conversations.

And, you never know who you might help,

Or who might help you.

P.S. - If you are looking for help having great networking conversations, this week's newsletter issue is for you: https://lnkd.in/evrUMZxZ



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.

Open article: Why Starting Networking Conversations Feels Hard (and How to Fix It) by open.substack.com

Why Starting Networking Conversations Feels Hard (and How to Fix It)

Think the holidays are a bad time to network?
Watch this classic holiday movie.

If you’ve ever watched “It’s a Wonderful Life,” you already know why this time of year is actually the 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 time to reconnect with people.
 
George Bailey isn’t a great networker because he’s charismatic.

He’s a great networker because he gives.
 
He shows up when others need him.
He helps the people around him.
He supports his community.
 
And when his life falls apart, those same people flood into his home to give back to him.
 
That’s how networking works.
 
You don’t need to chase strangers or make perfect small talk.

You start with the people already in your world.
You give something small and meaningful.
You make their lives a little easier.
 
Advice. Introductions. Recommendations.

Or, more simply: Encouragement.
 
When you give without expecting anything in return, people want to reciprocate.

Not instantly.
Not perfectly.
But eventually.

Often when it matters most.
 
This is why the holidays are an ideal time to reconnect.
 
People feel grateful.
They’re more reflective.
They’re more generous.
 
Reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while.
Tell them they came to mind.
Ask how their year has been.
 
You’re not “networking.”
You’re doing what George Bailey did.
You’re investing in the people around you.
 
If you give consistently, your community becomes your safety net.

And, this time of the year, is the best time to do it.

 
P.S. I'm writing about how to network during the holidays in this week's newsletter.

Not a subscriber? 

Sign up for FREE when you hit the link under my headline at the top of the post ☝️

Most people don’t hate networking.
They hate how they 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 it will feel.

They struggle because starting a conversation feels awkward.
 
Here’s a mindset shift that makes it much easier:
 
Put yourself in the other person's shoes.
 
If a former coworker messaged you today and said,

“Hey, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

You wouldn’t roll your eyes.
You’d probably feel good that they thought of you.
 
If someone at work said,
“How’s your week going?

You wouldn’t panic.
You’d answer the question.
 
And if someone asked for a small, specific favor,
You’d try to help if you could.
 
When you look at it from the other perspective,
The fear starts to fade.

You stop worrying about being judged.
You realize you’re not bothering anyone.
You’re doing something thoughtful.
 
A few simple ways to start the conversation:
 
• Online: “You came to mind this week and I wanted to see how you’re doing.”
  
• In person: “What are you looking forward to this month?”
  
• Follow-up: “I'd love to learn more about that. Want to jump on a quick call sometime next week?”
 
You don’t need perfect lines.
You just need to see the interaction through their eyes.
 
This week, try one small thing:

Message one person you haven’t talked to in a while.
Start one short conversation with someone at work.
 
If the roles were reversed, you’d appreciate it.
 
That’s why it works.

This weeks' newsletter gives you more scripts for having networking conversations. It drops tomorrow morning for my subscribers: https://lnkd.in/ece-r3kB

If networking feels awkward or exhausting, this might be why…

Have you ever felt like you should be better at networking by now?

You’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

Networking isn’t about being outgoing, confident, or perfectly polished.

It’s built on five small habits, and most of us are only doing one or two consistently.

Here's the list of the five habits:

1. Identify Who You Know: knowing which people you want to connect with
   
2. Start Conversations: reaching out in a friendly, low-pressure way
   
3. Provide Value: offering something thoughtful or helpful
   
4. Be Easy To Help: clearly sharing what you’re exploring or who you want to meet
   
5. Make It A Habit: doing it consistently, not just when you need something

This week in my newsletter, I'm sharing a 5-question self-assessment to help you see where your networking habit breaks down, and what to do about it. 

Not a subscriber? You can join here for FREE: https://lnkd.in/ece-r3kB

Now I’m curious…which stage is hardest for you right now? Tell me in the poll.

P.S. - If your answer would have been “𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝗔 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁,” comment below and just type 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁, and I'll count it in the results.

Which networking habit is hardest for you right now?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

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The Battle

Therese Miclot

Greg Roche

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taplio

The Battle

Therese Miclot

Greg Roche

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Therese Miclot's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreTherese Miclot's LinkedIn Performance