Linda Klein on Growth – Time To Get Great At Business Development

Mo asks Linda Klein: When was the moment that you realized that growth was great?

Linda separates the ideas of business development and building a relationship. In the beginning of Linda's career as a lawyer, she spent a lot of time learning about her client's business and that relationship building always paid off.
It's not about developing the business, it's about developing the relationship.
Linda tells the story of how her grandfather started a grocery business in the early days of the Great Depression, how understanding and getting to know the people in the community became a crucial reason for their success, how that also inspired Linda and how she built her career.
When meeting new people, Linda is always looking for the things outside the day-to-day business relationship that are important to them. There is always a place where you can connect.
It's important to be hireable and to share your expertise, but it's more important to be human first.
Start with something relatable instead of leading with your area of expertise and what services you can offer. The number one correlation to likeability is commonality. Always look for the common areas you can connect on.
Every conversation and interaction you have will be different, but the person you're speaking with will always give you clues. By offering details and asking for details, you're going to find areas of commonality.
It's extremely important for diverse members of your team to feel like they can find areas to connect.

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