Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

May 7, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm by leveraging The Triple Win Method.

How to Build a Powerful Network Without Trying

Howdy

You have probably heard this advice: “Grow your network.”

How?

Attend network events, meet with people during lunch, don’t stay aloof, engage with more people, and so on.

But there is a basic foundation to growing your network. It is something if practiced consistently, will not only grow your tribe, it will grow your tribe with the right people.

People who are willing to support each other.

The basic foundation is this: Always show up to serve

Yes…just this.

Be ready to serve the people you meet, and you will grow your ecosystem with the right people.

This is how I show up at work and in social circles.

And it works magic for me.

Service-Based Networking in Action

Not too long ago, I was attending a social event where an older man sat beside me. He was not dressed any way unusual than everyone at the event.

At the start of the event, he remarked to himself that he could not see the stage because the lady sitting in front of him had obscured his view.

I asked him, “Would you want to swap seats with me?” He did.

Later on, after eating the meal served, he discovered that there was no serviette provided at the event. I offered to go to the restroom to get some tissue paper for him, which he accepted.

When I got back, he offered me his card and told the gentleman (who turned out to be his personal assistant) beside him to take my number.

Current events and subsequent meetings later, I found a bit more about the older man. And now we are talking. Let’s just say I just added a billionaire into my network.

Just a simple act of service, and I got into his circle.

Because I got into his circle through service, he is also willing to reciprocate.

That is how you build a quality network 

Building Your Support Ecosystem Through Service

The beauty of this approach is that it creates what I call a "support ecosystem" - a network of people who genuinely care about supporting each other's growth and success.

When you consistently show up with the mindset of "How can I help?" rather than "What can I get?", people remember you for the right reasons.

Service-based networking builds deeper connections because it demonstrates your values in action. You're not just exchanging business cards - you're exchanging meaningful moments that reveal your character.

This principle works across all levels of your professional relationships. Whether you're connecting with peers, those above you in the organizational hierarchy, or those you lead.

Your Next Steps

Your challenge is to approach your next interaction - whether at work or a social event - with this simple question: "How can I serve this person?"

It might be as small as offering a solution to a minor inconvenience or as significant as connecting them with a valuable resource.

Remember, meaningful networks aren't built overnight or through superficial conversations. They're built one act of service at a time, creating relationships founded on genuine care rather than transaction.

The most powerful networks aren't necessarily the largest - they're the ones where people feel valued, respected, and supported. By focusing on service first, you'll naturally attract the right people into your circle - people who share your values and are equally committed to mutual support.

That's how you build a quality network that serves you while you serve others.

As always, keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

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Want to get in on some of the lessons I have picked up in my career? Get my eBook "21 Lessons I Learned in My Career - A Primer to Help You Become Better at Work". Get it here

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