Sophia came to coaching just three months after a big promotion. She was being groomed for a C-suite role in FinTech. Now she’d have to build strong relationships in a much wider, more senior pool.
But her strength had always been day to day delivery and management.
She knew her stuff. She got it done.
But now, she was becoming the face of the department.
More time speaking, networking, representing. Less time doing.
To build strong relationships would be key – even amongst a ‘sea’ of people who were new to her.
A Promotion? So what’s the problem?
✨ And while this was exciting, it also felt… unfamiliar.
Her comfort zone? Close colleagues she trusted deeply.
Now? A broad but shallow network.
Sophia worried – as she got so little time with her new stakeholders.
Build strong professional relationships
Sophia felt disconnected. Exposed. A little imposter-y.
So we did what I always do with clients: the Stakeholder Map.
It’s a tool to build strong professional relationships intentionally.
It helps you reflect on the quality of your current network.
We explored how she rated her relationships.
Who she trusted. Who knew her work.
Who was most important to her progression.
Who seemed friendly—but perhaps surface-level.
Sophia took the map away to review between sessions.
When she came back, she laughed:
“There were far more high scores than I expected!”
Look to the Evidence
She’d looked for evidence—
✔ How people responded in meetings
✔ Positive comments
✔ How warmly they reacted when she reached out
Her perspective was shifting.
“Because I don’t see them as often as previous colleagues, I thought they didn’t know me well,” she said.
“But they do see me. They respect me – even if it’s just from what they hear from others. I just hadn’t noticed.”
💡 That’s how you build strong professional relationships—
Not just by depth, but by visibility, value, and trust.
🤔 Ask yourself:
💬 Could a perceived “weakness” actually be potential?
🌱 If this stage is actually growth, what changes in the way I view it?
🕸 How will your network shift and develop as you rise?
If this feels like where you are, check out:
🌿 Feeling Overwhelmed at Work? This Questioning Strategy Can Help – Inclusiq
🧩 How Women Can Redefine Leadership Without Burning Out – Harvard Business Review
