Building Your Circle of Success: Strategies to Strengthen Connection, Visibility, and Career Momentum

In every career breakthrough, there is a network of people—seen and unseen—who make that growth possible. Yet most professionals move through their careers without a clear understanding of who is in their corner, what support they truly need, or how to intentionally cultivate the relationships that accelerate advancement.

This 90-minute session takes a deep dive into the research-backed framework introduced in Who Are Your SPECS? Redefining Career Empowerment for the Future of Work, revealing the five critical roles that form a powerful Circle of Success. Participants will learn how to map their current circle, identify gaps, and strengthen the connections that fuel confidence, clarity, and long-term career mobility. Through guided reflection, practical tools, and real-world examples, attendees will walk away with a clearer sense of their relational ecosystem—and a strategy for building a more aligned, supportive, and opportunity-rich network. This session is designed for leaders, emerging professionals, ERG/EEG members, and anyone committed to building a career rooted in connection, agency, and intentional support.

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain the five SPECS roles and how each contributes to a high functioning Circle of Success.
• Map their current relational ecosystem, identifying who is currently supporting their career growth and where critical gaps exist.
• Assess the quality and alignment of their existing relationships in relation to their long term career goals.
• Identify the types of support they need most—confidence, clarity, advocacy, opportunity, or accountability—and match those needs to the appropriate SPECS roles.
• Apply the SPECS framework to real world scenarios through case studies that illustrate how intentional relationships accelerate advancement.
• Develop a personalized strategy for strengthening, expanding, or rebalancing their Circle of Success to increase agency, mobility, and career empowerment.

ATD Capability Model – Performance Improvement, Learning Technologies

To learn more about this model see: https://capability.td.org/

Speaker:

Dr. Brandi R. Muñoz, PCC, CMCS, SPHR, NCOPE, an Executive Coach, Career Strategist, and Conflict Resolution expert with a doctorate in Organizational Leadership. With over 15 years of experience in talent development, leadership coaching, and strategic HR advisory, I specialize in empowering professionals and organizations to navigate change with clarity, authenticity, and measurable impact.

Currently, I serve as the Program Manager for Coaching & Mentoring at Memorial Hermann, where I design and lead system wide initiatives aligned with the organization’s mission to advance health and personalize care. Beyond my work at Memorial Hermann, I continue to coach professionals and leaders on a limited basis and teach doctoral students, ensuring my personal vision of fostering growth and leadership development remains at the core of everything I do.