Episode Details

That promotion you did not get? It was probably not decided in a performance review. It was decided on a golf course, at happy hour, or in a conversation you were never invited to.

Informal networks at work are where the real career decisions get made and most women are not in those rooms. Research shows that 70 to 80 percent of promotions and high-visibility opportunities are driven by professional relationships, not performance alone. Yet women's networks are 30 percent smaller than men's, and the gap widens at every level of leadership.

In this episode, SisterSmart Leadership Coaches Jill and Sara Spencer break down everything you need to know about building influential professional relationships and developing career sponsorship strategies that actually work. You will learn how to network professionally without feeling self-promotional, how to build strategic relationships when you are working remotely or in a hybrid environment, and how to identify the sponsors and senior leaders who will champion your next promotion.

Whether you are trying to rise from director to VP, get noticed by senior leadership, or simply figure out how to build the kind of network that opens doors, this episode gives you a clear, practical framework to make it happen on your own terms.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

01:50 -- Why informal networks at work drive promotions more than performance and what you can do about it

04:30 -- The biggest misconception women have about professional relationships building (and the mindset shift that changes everything)

08:45 -- Formal vs. informal networks and which one is actually driving career advancement

11:00 -- How to build the professional networking muscle with just one hour a week

15:30 -- Creative, low-pressure ways to connect that do not require evening events or forced small talk

19:45 -- Hybrid work networking strategies, how to stay visible and build relationships when you are not always in the office

24:00 -- How to map your network and close the gaps that could be holding back your promotion

28:30 -- Career sponsorship strategies, how to identify and build relationships with the senior leaders who will advocate for you

33:00 -- Three action steps you can take this week to start building a network that moves your career forward

THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF:

1. You are a woman in leadership who wants to move from director to VP or into senior executive roles
2. You have been waiting for your hard work to speak for itself and it is not working
3. You want professional networking tips that feel authentic, not sleazy or self-promotional
4. You are looking for a career coach for women who understands the real barriers to promotion
5. You want to build executive presence and get noticed by the right senior leaders

FREE RESOURCE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Stakeholder Mapping Guide: https://sistersmart.ck.page/fb7440c515

ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

1. Free Passport to Promotion Private Podcast -- 7 Steps to Get Promoted from Director to VP: https://joinsistersinleadership.com/7-steps
2. Ap