In this episode of the Lead to Soar Podcast, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher focus on networking as a strategic leadership skill, not a popularity exercise.
They move beyond surface-level advice and examine how intentionally maintained networks create access to information, opportunities, sponsorship, and career protection over time. This is not about working the room or performing with confidence. It is about judgment, positioning, and reciprocity.
The conversation explores:
What makes a network strategic rather than social
Why women are often excluded from informal power networks
How to build and maintain relationships that support long-term progression
The difference between visibility, influence, and real career leverage
Michelle and Mel frame networking as essential career infrastructure. Done well, it expands choice and reduces risk. Done poorly, it drains energy without return.
This episode is for women asking, 'What should I do next?' and for leaders who want to understand how careers actually move within organisations.
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