Six Ways to Build a Strategic and Powerful Greenhouse Industry Network
July 21, 2020 
A panel of five accomplished women in horticulture shared how they have built strategic and powerful networks to advance and achieve their professional goals during the Women in Horticulture Main Stage Program that took place during AmericanHort’s Cultivate’20 Virtual, held July 13-16. The presentation also gave listeners a rare look some of the challenges women run into when trying to advance and succeed in the horticulture industry.
The panel included moderator Leslie Halleck, a certified professional horticulturist (ASHS) who runs Halleck Horticultural; Lisa Fiore, founder and CEO of LandscapeHub; Lela Kelly, Vice President and Co-Owner of Dosatron International; Rebecca Lusk, Retail Director and Key Account Sales Manager for Dümmen Orange; and Kelly Staats, Sales and Marketing Manager for Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants.
Overall, the presentation was a reminder to women of the collective power they possess to drive change in the green industry and pave the way for future generations. Moreover, the expert and actionable advice the panel dispensed during the discussion applies to more than just women in the workplace. Here are six strategies anyone looking to build a strategic professional network can put into practice.
Map Your Network
Network in a more strategic manner. Start by identifying who is in your network now. Where do you have gaps? Who can you align yourself with that can help you meet your goals
Advocate for Yourself
Don’t be shy when promoting yourself. You can’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Talk to the most important person in the room. Make that call. Tell others what skills you can put forward. Take the lead on a project. Never give away your power to make things happen for yourself.
Develop Reciprocal Relationships
Develop relationships where there is back and forth exchange between both parties. It is not solely about what someone can do for you, but also about what you can do for them. Furthermore, put some time and effort into your relationships. Engage with others from a social standpoint and get to know them.
Mentorship is a Two-Way Street
Along the same lines as developing reciprocal relationships, find a mentor who has some influence in your career field and can help you open doors. In return, make sure you give something back such as different viewpoints, sharing your skills, or helping foster connections.
Set Limits and Boundaries
Don’t let things happen around you. Be assertive and make your needs known. You gain power when you say no and set limits and boundaries. And don’t take it personally when someone says no to you.
Allow yourself to say no in situations where there is no give and take in a relationship and be more strategic in the things you say yes to. When you transition from being power adjacent to power possessive, you have more control over the relationship dynamics.
Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
Push yourself past your comfort zone. There will be times when you need to be aggressive and persistent when pursuing opportunities, and keep in mind that sometimes you must go after an opportunity from different angles. Instead of thinking “change happens to me,” think “I am making change happen to me.”
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