Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

February 28, 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 Executives can Become Your Unexpected Career Champions

Did you know that a percentage of jobs are filled through networking, and yet not all professionals actively maintain relationships with senior leadership? That gap isn't just a missed opportunity—it's a career limiter that keeps incredible talent invisible.

Let me share how executive relationships helped my career transition when I was not expecting it.

When a Senior Executive Became My Career Champion

After nearly a while working in financial services, I found myself yearning for a new challenge. I wanted the thrill of working on projects, carrying out financial analysis and working the money for the results.

What I didn't realize was that I had been cultivating something more powerful —genuine relationships with senior executives who saw capabilities in me that transcended.

They spoke for me and made the pass for when the opportunity opened up in the company.

Their advocacy cut through the noise. They recommended me. Because of those relationships, I was given an opportunity that no résumé or application could have secured.

That industry transition became the most significant catalyst in my career, opening doors I hadn't even known existed.

Why Senior Executive Relationships Matter Beyond Promotions

Beyond the obvious benefit of advocacy, these relationships offer something even more valuable:

1. Perspective expansion: Senior executives see the entire organizational ecosystem in ways your immediate manager cannot. This bird's-eye view teaches you to think more strategically about how your work connects to broader objectives.
2. Decision insight: Understanding how executives make decisions transforms how you position your own ideas. You learn to communicate in ways that resonate with those holding decision-making power.
3. Confidence acceleration: Regular interaction with leadership normalizes your ability to engage at higher levels, building comfort with authority that becomes a career superpower.

The Science Behind Executive Relationship Building

Typically professionals with strong executive relationships who have shown competence and capacity tend to receive challenging assignments more frequently than those without such relationships. These stretch opportunities become the proving grounds where careers accelerate dramatically.

The key insight? These relationships aren't about frequency of interaction but quality of engagement. Depth trumps breadth every time.

Your 3-Step Action Plan for Building Executive Relationships

Step 1: Create Value Before Asking for Attention

The most common mistake is approaching senior leadership with needs rather than contributions. Instead:

• Research their priorities and challenges by reading their internal communications, public statements, or LinkedIn articles
• Connect dots between your work and their objectives
• Share relevant insights or solutions without expecting immediate returns

For example, after I joined an organisation as a senior executive, a gentleman in another team came to my office to offer to provide any market research I might need. Later on, he asked if he could accompany me to events where I was invited to speak so he might help me engage with the audience on our company products. Of course, I said Yes. Interestingly, about a week later, one of such invitations came – and I brought along for the ride. He became my go-to-guy in his team if I had opportunities to share with that team.

Step 2: Master the Brief, High-Impact Interaction

Executive time is compressed. Practice the art of the "valuable brief encounter":

• Prepare a 30-second version of any topic you might discuss
• Ask one insightful question that demonstrates you understand their priorities
• Follow up with a short email capturing key takeaways or next steps

For example, when running into a COO in the elevator, instead of small talk, how do you think this would sound if you said: "I've been thinking about your efficiency initiative. Have you considered using the customer feedback data we're already collecting to identify process friction points?" That 20-second question can tell a lot more about your strategic mindset than political or sports chat.

Step 3: Demonstrate Consistent Reliability Over Time

Trust builds through consistency, not grand gestures:

• Deliver on every commitment, no matter how small
• Provide updates on initiatives they've expressed interest in
• Show how you've implemented their advice or feedback

Each time you demonstrate reliability, you deposit trust in what will become your most valuable professional bank account.

The Counterintuitive Truth

Here's a tip that sometimes takes people years to understand: Senior executives aren't looking for people who need their help—they're looking for capable professionals who make their jobs easier. When you approach these relationships as opportunities to contribute rather than extract value, everything changes.

You become the person they think of when important opportunities arise, not because you asked, but because you've consistently demonstrated value in ways that matter to them.

Remember, the goal isn't simply access to power—it's becoming the kind of professional whose contributions naturally attract attention and opportunity.

Focus on that, and the relationships that transform careers will follow.

What's one specific action you'll take this week to strengthen a relationship with a senior leader in your organization?

Fellow Workplace Multipliers,

You can win 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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