At some point in my career, I realized something uncomfortable: I could build a model that predicted anything, but I wasn't always moving the needle the way I wanted to. The analytics were solid. The insights were real. But the business wasn't always acting on them.
The missing ingredient wasn't technical — it was relational.
The Six Levels of a Professional Relationship
Not all professional relationships are equal. I use a simple framework to grade the strength of my key stakeholder relationships:
| Level | Name | What It Means | |-------|------|---------------| | 6 | Advocate | Actively promotes you and seeks opportunities on your behalf | | 5 | Collaborator | Active partner who shares information freely | | 4 | Trusted Colleague | Respects your expertise and values your perspective | | 3 | Professional Peer | Cordial, but minimal depth | | 2 | Aware | Limited interaction — they know you exist | | 1 | Unknown | No meaningful connection |
When I first mapped my stakeholders honestly, I had far too many relationships sitting at Level 2 and 3 — people whose support I needed to drive change, but with whom I had no real depth.
Seven Ways to Move the Needle
Here are the practices I've found most effective for deepening key relationships:
- Schedule regular 15-minute check-ins with your most important stakeholders — not to report status, but to ask what they're worried about.
- Proactively share project updates and lessons learned before they ask. Transparency builds trust faster than any presentation.
- Seek their input on decisions that affect them, even when you think you already know the answer.
- Offer your expertise without being asked. "I noticed X — thought you'd want to know" is worth more than a dozen formal briefings.
- Listen intently to understand their priorities and pressures, not just to respond.
- Follow through consistently on every commitment, large or small. Nothing erodes trust faster than dropped balls.
- Publicly celebrate their wins. A Slack message, a mention in a meeting — small gestures that say I see your work.
The Bottom Line
My 2026 challenge to myself — and to every analytics leader I work with — is this: pick your five most important stakeholders and honestly grade your relationship with each one. Then pick one specific action to move each relationship up one level.
Impact isn't just about what you know. It's about who you bring along with you.