When Should You Stop Trying To Win Senior Support? 4 Last Ditch Efforts To Try

This question is a follow-up to a recent post on networking with busy people such as recruiters and senior executives. In that earlier post, I emphasized the value of regular follow-up – i.e., multiple touch points over multiple months. Developing genuine relationships is not a quick process.

However, in that same post, I also pointed out that sometimes your networking cadence depends on impending deadlines (e.g., budget season affecting whether you get that promotion, bonus or raise). If you are reaching out to a senior leader and not hearing back, you may need to find other allies before the budget deadline.

There isn’t one hard-and-fast rule for when you should stop trying to win your leader’s support. Before you give up, try these four last ditch efforts:

1. Pursue Multiple Networking Options In Parallel

While you continue to reach out to your initial target, start your outreach with other senior leaders. One leader could be a mentor, but access to multiple leaders is like having your own personal Board of Directors. If your target senior leader is the key decision-maker for your promotion, bonus, and/or raise, know that company decisions often require multiple decision-makers. Taking time to develop relationships with multiple senior leaders, not just the one you think is most relevant right now, will help if you want to make a lateral move or expand your responsibilities outside your group.

2. Enroll A Matchmaker

If you do develop a relationship with another senior leader, they may put in a good word for you with the unresponsive leader. If you know someone who has been mentored by your target leader, maybe that protégé can help arrange a meeting. If you’re active in your company’s employee resource groups, there might be someone from the group who can help you get an audience with the unresponsive leader.

3. Make A Request With A Deadline

It could be that your outreach to the unresponsive leader has been received, but there is no urgency to respond. The best networking isn’t urgent, so maybe the lack of response is because they don’t realize you’re awaiting a response. In that case, include a deadline in your next outreach. For example, mention that you would like to meet to discuss a business pitch you’re finalizing by end of month or to prepare for an internal interview that is happening in two weeks.

4. Try A Grand Gesture

Your outreach might also go unnoticed because senior leaders are so pressed for time that emails, even voicemails, are easy to overlook. Include a Starbucks gift card along with a request for a skip-level meeting. Deliver a slide presentation of your business idea. If you haven’t shared a compelling business idea, that might be a reason you’re not hearing back.

Reframe The Decision From Moving On To Slowing Down

There are multiple reasons why networking outreach may not yield a response. Rather than simply moving on, reframe the decision to slowing down for now. If you have been sending follow-up emails every few weeks, keep in touch every few months, and pivot your networking efforts to others. It could be that given more time, you may hear back from that initial senior leader. Or you may find that you get support from other people.