Hers For The Taking · The Next 90 Days

Week 8: Map your circle and start a real conversation

Everything for the week on one page: your moves, worksheet, scripts.

This week's moves

Move 120 min · Written

Map your circle, today. Open a note titled "My professional circle." Write everyone in your professional world, using script 1 to jog the categories. Then mark two things per name with script 2: do they have access to the rooms your target needs, and have they seen your work. The overlap is where you start.

Move 210 min · Written

Name your three. From the map, pick three people to focus on for the rest of the program, script 3. Not the most senior; the three where a real connection is realistic and useful to the target.

Move 320 min · Said

Have one real conversation. Pick one setting this week and set one goal with script 4: one real conversation, not five contacts. Memorize the three questions in script 5 so your mind doesn't go blank, and use one.

The circle map

People I work with now

People I used to work with

People I've met once or twice

People in my field I follow or admire

The two-question sort

Name

Access to the rooms I want?

Seen my work?

The focus three

Three people for the rest of the program. Not the most senior; the three where a real connection is realistic.

The real question (pocket-sized: screenshot this)

The real question

Pick one. "What brought you here?" Or, with a little context, "What are you working on right now that you're most excited about?" Or, when you're unsure where to start, "I'd love to hear more about your work in [area]. What's been the most interesting challenge lately?" Then listen.

Script cards (cut along the dashed lines)

1. The circle prompt

Write names under four headings so you don't miss anyone: people I work with now, people I used to work with, people I've met once or twice, and people in my field I follow or admire.

2. The two-question sort

For each name, answer yes or no to both: "Does this person have access to rooms my target needs?" and "Has this person actually seen me do real work?" Two yeses is your starting point.

3. The focus-three rule

"For the rest of the program, I'm building a real connection with [name], [name], and [name]." Three you can tend beats thirty you'll ignore.

4. The one-goal reset

Before you walk into any setting: "My goal here is one real conversation, not a stack of contacts."

5. The real question

Re-entry note

Coming in cold? Do move 1 only. The circle map is the piece week 9 builds on; the conversation can wait a week.

Print for your own use. From The Next 90 Days at hersforthetaking.com.