Become the Person Who Connects the Dots
For this BD Tips Wednesday post I thought I would look at one of the biggest differences between average business developers and exceptional ones – and it isn't the size of their network.
What it is, is their ability to connect the dots in their lives.
So, what do I mean by this?
Well, great business developers don’t just simply collect information – although this is an important part of what sets them apart.
What they do is go to the next level: they have an ability to take information and connect it to people, ideas, industries and opportunities in ways that create value for others [note, not necessarily themselves!]. As a result, clients/referrers/friends/connections see them as commercially astute advisers rather than simply providers of a service.
This is what I call the Connector Influence.
Connector Influence isn't about having the biggest network out there; it's about helping other people see opportunities they couldn't see themselves.
The Four Dots Every Connector Is Looking to Join
The best business developers are constantly connecting four types of dots.
People. They introduce clients to potential customers, referral partners, suppliers or specialists who can genuinely help them. They understand that every quality introduction strengthens trust and reinforces their value.
Ideas. They take a concept from one client, one industry or one experience and apply it somewhere completely different. Innovation often comes from transferring ideas rather than inventing something entirely new.
Problems. They recognise that today's challenge is often connected to a broader issue. Instead of solving the immediate problem, they help clients understand the underlying commercial drivers and the risks or opportunities that sit behind them.
Opportunities. They see emerging trends before they become obvious. A regulatory change, a market shift or a new technology isn't just news - it is a conversation starter about what clients should be doing next.
Every conversation, meeting and article becomes another opportunity to join these dots. Over time, this creates something that clients value more than expertise alone. It creates judgement.
Why This Creates Influence
Technical expertise gets you into the room; Connector Influence keeps you there.
For decades, professional advisers created value by having access to information that clients didn't. Today, that advantage is disappearing. AI can explain legislation, summarise reports, analyse data and produce insights in seconds.
Some people believe this will reduce the importance of experienced advisers.
I believe the opposite. As information becomes more accessible, human judgement becomes more valuable. The adviser who says,
"I've seen this issue emerging across local government, construction and healthcare over the past six months,"
isn't simply sharing information, they're recognising a pattern. That pattern isn't valuable because the information is hidden. It's valuable because it has been observed across multiple clients, industries and experiences, then interpreted through commercial judgement.
When you tell a client, "This reminds me of a challenge another organisation solved differently," or "I've seen three businesses dealing with the same issue," you're doing something AI still struggles to replicate. You're providing context, perspective and confidence.
That is where commercial value is created.
The advisers who become indispensable aren't those who answer the most questions; they're the ones who recognise patterns, connect seemingly unrelated ideas and translate those observations into practical recommendations.
In an AI-enabled world, information is becoming abundant. Pattern recognition is becoming scarce. And scarcity creates value.
Build Your Connector Radar
Developing Connector Influence requires deliberate curiosity.
Read outside your practice area.
Attend events that aren't directly related to your specialisation.
Ask clients about their commercial objectives rather than limiting the discussion to the current matter.
Spend time understanding what is changing in their industry, their supply chain and their competitive environment.
Most importantly, keep asking yourself one simple question:
Who else would benefit from knowing this?
✔️ Sometimes the answer is another client.
✔️ Sometimes it's someone in your network.
✔️ Sometimes it's a colleague with expertise that complements your own.
Every time you make one of those connections, you strengthen your Connector Influence. You become known as someone who doesn't simply solve problems, you help people see opportunities they wouldn't have recognised on their own.
This Week's Challenge
Over the next seven days, deliberately connect four dots:
👉 Introduce two people who could genuinely help each other.
👉 Share an article that highlights an emerging trend and explain why it matters to a client.
👉 Take an idea from one industry and explore how it could create value in another.
👉 Follow up with someone who mentioned a challenge months ago because you've now seen something that could help.
Business development isn't about becoming the smartest person in the room. It's about becoming the person who consistently helps others see what they couldn't see themselves.
