328: Building Real Relationships on LinkedIn

328: Building Real Relationships on LinkedIn

328: Building Real Relationships on LinkedIn

Curious how LinkedIn can actually help you build real business relationships—not just rack up connections? In this episode, LinkedIn expert Bill McCormick shares his journey from traditional sales to becoming a trusted advisor on the platform. Bill reveals why authenticity, curiosity, and genuine engagement are the keys to standing out and building trust, whether you’re networking, recruiting, or growing your business.

We dive into practical tips for optimizing your profile, engaging with others in a meaningful way, and using LinkedIn’s premium features (like Sales Navigator) to your advantage. Bill also shares his thoughts on AI and automation, and why the human touch still matters most. If you want to make LinkedIn work for you—without feeling salesy or inauthentic—this episode is packed with actionable advice you can use right away.

Bill is the Founder of Digi-Sales, a Digital Selling training company, and Digi-Sales Academy, an online video training platform where he shares his passion for helping professionals leverage the power of LinkedIn. Bill first started using digital sales techniques after he and his wife, Sue, started their own promotional product business.
By using social platforms, especially LinkedIn, they were able to build a very successful business. Bill then began to help other business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals learn how to use LinkedIn to increase sales.

Bill has conducted training for companies worldwide and specializes in helping to ‘make LinkedIn Human’ – explaining the platform in easy-to-understand ways, and recently launched the All Selling Is Social Podcast.

You’ll discover:

  • How to create a value-driven LinkedIn profile
  • The right way to connect and engage
  • Why curiosity builds trust on LinkedIn
  • Tips for using Sales Navigator effectively
  • The pitfalls of AI and automation on LinkedIn

Watch the episode:

Connect with Bill

  

Related Podcast Episodes

253: Maximize the Power of LinkedIn

 

Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the GSL Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio
Leader-team communication and character skills

Grow Strong Character

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.

Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Connect with Your Team

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell
Connect with Your Team Book - Grow Strong Leaders

Peer Coaching Made Simple

Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D.,
and Meredith M. Bell

302: Becoming a Generous Leader

302: Becoming a Generous Leader

302: Becoming a Generous Leader

When you think of the key qualities of an effective leader, what words come to mind? Did you include the word GENEROUS? If not, you will add that word to your list after you listen to this conversation with guest Joe Davis. 

Joe is the author of a fantastic new book, The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain. This important book is a must-read for every leader because it touches on so many areas that the best leaders learn and practice. Joe exemplifies the type of leader Meredith is always eager to have as a guest: he’s focused his entire career on growing strong as a leader and helping others realize their potential. 

Joe is a Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group or BCG. In The Generous Leader, Joe shares a performance review he received that was a game-changer for him: He was told he was not the best at problem-solving solo; but with others, he could solve any challenge. His manager identified his key strength—a person who could connect with others. 

Joe has leveraged that strength in his 35+ years at BCG in roles such as co-founding the Washington, DC, office and leading BCG North America. He is currently Chair of BCG’s Center for Inclusion and Equity and the Board Chair at Whitman College.

You’ll discover:

  • What leaders can do to help others feel seen
  • Why Joe recommends leaders adopt the “practice of perspective taking”
  • How Joe pushes people to be more than they believed possible and addresses times when they diminish themselves
  • How to be an Action Ally and not a Performative Ally
  • Ways to show vulnerability so others more easily connect with you

Watch the episode:

Connect with Joe

    

Listen to the GSL Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

297: Astonish Others with Unexpected Acts of Generosity

297: Astonish Others with Unexpected Acts of Generosity

297: Astonish Others with Unexpected Acts of Generosity

In this episode, I talk about different ways you can uplevel the way you serve others in your world. When you apply these ideas, you won’t just surprise or delight them, you’ll actually ASTONISH them.

I share specific examples of things I’ve done. As you listen, consider how you can incorporate some of them in your own unique way with the people in your life.

I’m the co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders, a company that publishes software tools and books to help people build strong relationships at work and at home.

You’ll discover:

  • The one question to ask yourself before every conversation that’s important to you
  • What another person feels from you when you express genuine curiosity in them
  • How to make introductions that stand out
  • Ways you can use social media to acknowledge people in your world
  • Why expressions of appreciation are so powerful

Watch the episode:

Connect with Meredith

        

Listen to the GSL Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

296: Leadership and Sales in a Post-Trust World

​When you think about it, leadership and sales have a lot in common. For example, both require the ability to build trust quickly. In this value-packed episode, Larry Levine shares ideas from his new book, Selling In a Post-Trust World, that apply to leaders and salespeople alike.

Larry is also the international best-selling author of Selling from the Heart and the co-host of the award-winning Selling from the Heart Podcast.

In a world where it can be hard for salespeople to create trust, Larry helps sales teams leverage the power of authenticity to grow revenue, grow themselves, and enhance the lives of their clients. Larry has coached sales professionals across the world, from tenured reps to new millennials entering the salesforce.

You’ll discover:

  • The importance of identifying your WHY to have the greatest possible influence and impact
  • Why the ability to create authentic relationships must begin with being authentic with yourself
  • How you can create an inspirational experience for your team members and your clients
  • The power of learning what your unique “secret sauce” is and using it consistently
  • What you can learn when you’re curious and not making assumptions

Watch the episode:

Connect with Larry

  

Listen to the GSL Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

277: Build Your Cultural Agility As a Leader

277: Build Your Cultural Agility As a Leader

277: Build Your Cultural Agility As a Leader

What’s required to work effectively with people from different cultures? Paula Caligiuri has been studying this question for 30 years, and she’s created strategies that leverage your natural strengths while developing cultural agility competencies. You’ll gain valuable insights that you can apply immediately when working with diverse populations locally or globally.

Paula is a Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business. Before that, she was a professor of HR management at Rutgers University for 18 years. She’s also the Founder and CEO of Skiilify and the creator of the free MyGiide assessment.

Her specialty concerns cultural agility’s importance as a critical leadership competence. She explains it all in her excellent book, Build Your Cultural Agility: The Nine Competencies of Successful Global Professionals.

You’ll discover:

  • What cultural agility is, and why it’s critical for leaders
  • Why Paula considers curiosity and humility to be key competencies for cultural agility
  • The dangers of training around unconscious bias
  • Paula’s approach to training that fosters open, honest conversations
  • Insights from research projects that Paula has conducted

Watch the episode:

Connect with Paula

      

Listen to the GSL Podcast on YouTube
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Pandora
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the GSL Podcast on Amazon
Listen to the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast on iheartradio

Connect with Your Team

Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

Peer Coaching Made Simple

How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill