Building an external brain trust network

Your network isn’t just who you know, it’s who you can "think" with. As a 5x CMO, I’ve learned that no matter how seasoned you are, perspective from outside your company is invaluable. Some of the best insights I’ve received didn’t come from a board meeting or an executive offsite. They came from a quick call with someone in my informal brain trust. That outside-in perspective is everything. When you’re deep in the business, it’s easy to start seeing the world from the inside out; through the lens of your own strategy, structure, and stories. The people outside your company help you flip that lens. They remind you how customers, partners, and even competitors really see you. Here’s what I’ve found makes the biggest difference: 👉 Beyond traditional board structures Boards are built for governance and oversight, while your informal advisors are there for growth and reflection. They’re free from company politics, which means they can give you an honest, outside-in view of what’s working, and what’s not. 👉 Build your informal brain trust Surround yourself with people who think differently from you. Operators who can pressure-test your plans. Visionaries who see the long game. Connectors who can open doors you didn’t know existed. That diversity of perspective helps you see beyond your bubble. 👉 Activate industry relationships Don’t wait until you’re stuck to reach out. Stay curious, exchange ideas, and ask better questions. The more you engage across the industry, the more you start to see patterns that are invisible from the inside. 👉 The reciprocity principle Give as much as you get. Offer feedback, connections, or encouragement. The best relationships in business (and in life) are built on mutual investment. Every leader needs an outside-in perspective to stay grounded, adaptable, and growing. Because when you surround yourself with people who help you see differently, you lead differently.

Stop collecting business cards. Start building a "Brain Trust." There’s a massive difference between having a large network and having a high-level inner circle. One is a list of contacts; the other is a catalyst for your next evolution. As leaders, we often get trapped in our own industry silos. We talk to the same people, read the same reports, and face the same "ceilings." But true mental expansion happens when you intentionally step into rooms where you are the least knowledgeable person there. I’ve shifted my focus from "networking" to curating "intellectual cohort proximity". It’s about finding peers who don't just agree with you, but challenge your fundamental assumptions. The "Inner Circle" Evolution Strategy: ↳ Audit your current room: Look at your closest professional circle. Are they reflecting where you are, or where you want to be? ↳ Seek peer-level mentorship: Mentorship isn't just top-down. Peer mentoring is often the fastest way to sharpen soft skills and navigate modern "technostress". ↳ Break the silo: Join private, high-intent communities outside your immediate niche. Cross-industry insights are where the most transformative ideas are born. ↳ Invest in social capital: Those who have a mentor are 5x more likely to be promoted. Being a mentor is just as powerful - it solidifies your own expertise while building a legacy. Your network is the oxygen for your ambition. If the air feels thin, it’s time to change the room. Pics: some highlights from my journey over the last two years with the Ximus forum. I chose to become part of Ximus exactly for the reasons above: to move beyond networking and into a space of true intellectual proximity. These images represent more than just meetings; they capture the shift in my professional perspective and the profound impact this specific forum has had on my personal growth.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 In the past three months, I worked with two leaders from different organizations who had both received notice. One had a strong external network and secured a new role almost immediately, while the other is still searching. As an executive coach, I often see leaders focus heavily on building influence, visibility, and credibility within their own teams, which is important, but many underestimate the impact that relationships outside their organization can have on career opportunities. A strong network outside your organization opens doors that internal connections cannot. It exposes you to opportunities, insights, and roles before they’re widely known. It also helps you understand emerging trends, industry shifts, and what skills are in demand—information that is invaluable when navigating career moves. Leaders with external networks can pivot faster, make informed choices, and create options instead of waiting for opportunities to find them. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: 1. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. Join industry associations, peer groups, or advisory boards. Networking in spaces beyond your organization builds visibility and credibility that can translate into new roles. 2. 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Reach out to peers or leaders in other organizations to understand how they approach challenges similar to yours. These conversations can reveal potential opportunities and expand your perspective. 3. 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧. Attend conferences, webinars, or workshops outside your immediate field. Exposure to other industries not only builds knowledge but can also connect you with people who influence hiring decisions. Career paths aren’t linear, and change can come unexpectedly. Investing in external relationships ensures that you’re prepared—not just to survive transitions, but to seize them. Leaders who cultivate their network beyond their organization create opportunities for themselves and strengthen their career resilience. 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: This week, reach out to one professional outside your organization for a conversation. Explore insights, share experiences, and strengthen the connections that could shape your next opportunity. —— 🔔 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 me, Diane M. for daily frameworks. ♻ 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 if this resonates with you. #CareerOpportunities #ExecutiveCoaching #ProfessionalNetworking #CareerGrowth

🧱 Building external connections can transform how you support your team internally. When Christine Smoley transitioned from academia to cybersecurity, she discovered something powerful: the security community becomes your extended mentorship network. Here's what she learned about growing skills when formal programs aren't available: ➡️ Leverage community events: Conferences like DEF CON and B-sides aren't just networking opportunities - they're knowledge-sharing goldmines. You'll find people solving similar problems who are eager to share insights. ➡️ Create your own learning projects: Identify what frustrates you in your current role. That frustration often points to your next learning opportunity. Turn those pain points into personal projects that build practical skills. ➡️ Connect with your "people": The security community is uniquely collaborative. Find others who get excited about the same challenges you face. These connections often provide the mentorship that formal programs can't. ➡️ Apply knowledge immediately: In smaller organizations, you can often do pair programming with engineers or take on broader responsibilities. This hands-on approach accelerates learning faster than theoretical study alone. 🔑 The key insight? External community engagement strengthens your ability to support your internal team. When you learn from practitioners facing similar challenges, you bring fresh perspectives and solutions back to your organization. This is especially valuable in startups or smaller companies where you might be the only security person. Your external network becomes your informal advisory board. ❓What community connections have helped you grow your cybersecurity skills?

70% of leadership teams try to fix collaboration with structure But that’s exactly why trust stays broken. Because trust doesn’t live in org charts. It lives in how people behave when stakes are high. That’s where Pixar’s Braintrust model is a masterclass in trust by design. What is the Pixar Braintrust? It’s a regular meeting of trusted peers. Directors, writers, creatives who review a film-in-progress and offer honest feedback. But here’s what makes it exceptional: ✅ No hierarchy in the room. Feedback is peer-to-peer. ✅ No obligation to act. Filmmakers aren’t forced to follow advice but they often do. ✅ No ego protection. Feedback is candid, direct, and focused on the work. “Candor is the key. People must be able to say what they think, show their work, and get feedback without fear.” — Ed Catmull, Pixar Co-Founder, Creativity, Inc. Why it matters for leaders? The Braintrust isn’t about filmmaking. It’s about building psychological safety, shared ownership, and unfiltered feedback— Without slowing execution. You can apply this to: → Product reviews → Post-mortems → Strategy offsites → Cross-functional innovation sprints It’s not structure that builds trust. It’s intentional design. If your team is collaborative on paper but withholding in practice, let’s talk. I help leadership teams rewire how feedback flows across the business. 📩 DM me or comment “trust” and I’ll share how to build your own version of a Braintrust. 🕹️ Follow me, Wardah Harharah, CCXP, FCIPD, PCC for insights on #OrganizationalDesign and building human-centred organisations that transform culture, people and performance.