You always hear people telling you to “build your network”. 

Make the connection. Add someone on LinkedIn. Exchange contact information. Stay in touch. 

But Amanda Martin, President and CEO of the Illinois Agriculture Leadership Foundation, challenges listeners of The Cultivating Leaders Podcast to take that one step further. 

A network is made up of people you know. A community is made up of people who know you, support you and show up when you need them. 

“Your community are those people you can pick up the phone, you have those connections, you’re celebrating their wins with them, but you’re also, in times of need, you have that community.” 

So how do you turn connections into community? 

Go deeper than collecting contacts 

Making the introduction is only step one. 

Building community means getting to know the person behind the job title. Ask about what matters to them. Remember what they share. Celebrate their successes. Check in when life gets hard. 

Amanda believes understanding people helps you better support and lead them. 

Try this: Pick three people in your network this week and reach out without asking for anything. Ask how they are doing and listen. 

Build relationships by doing something together 

Sometimes the easiest way to build a genuine relationship is to stop trying to “network.” 

Amanda recommends getting involved, volunteering and serving alongside others. Shared experiences create natural opportunities to learn about people and build trust. 

Try this: Join a student organization. Volunteer at an event. Serve your community. Take on a project with someone new. 

Be the person who keeps the connection alive 

Community doesn’t happen after one conversation. 

Amanda talks about the value of the small things: a text, a quick phone call or simply checking in. Those little moments build relationships over time. 

And strong communities work both ways. Don’t only look for people who will support you. Become someone others can count on, too. 

Build your people 

Your network can help you find opportunities. Your community helps you navigate them. 

Investing in deeper relationships gives you people to learn from, lean on and grow alongside. And, it makes you a better leader because you learn how to do the same for someone else. 

Catch the full conversation 

Amanda joins The Cultivating Leaders Podcast to talk about the role community has played throughout her leadership journey. From growing up in rural Illinois as a first-generation college student to building a career across higher education, agribusiness and nonprofit leadership, mentors opened doors for her. Now, she works to provide opportunities for other young leaders to learn, serve and come together.