Expanding your professional network is an essential part of advancing your career. Yet, connecting with strangers can be difficult and leaves many feeling uncomfortable. We asked several of our employees for their top networking tips. Here are our favorites:

1. “When meeting someone new, I always try to repeat their name after they’ve introduced themselves. This allows me to say it out loud, helping commit it to memory. It also gives me a great opportunity if I didn’t hear their name or heard it incorrectly.” Kara Dixon, Marketing + Creative

2.“When networking, it’s important to build a genuine connection and show the other person you’re interested in them. I often ask open-ended questions that force the other person to talk about themselves. You never learn by speaking — only by listening.” Andy Cline, Hanes Industries

3. “Networking should be strategic. When I set out to meet a specific person or go to an event, I consider what goals I hope to achieve. When I’m able to articulate this, the connections I make are often more impactful.” Cari Southern, L&P Automotive

4. “One piece of advice I got a long time ago was to ‘make friends and be friendly.’ Framing networking in this light makes it seem more natural and, at least for me, it seems to work.” Dylan Hale, Global Procurement

5. “Try to get involved in projects that impact other areas of the organization, even if it doesn’t appear to have a significant impact to your current role.  You never know when that knowledge will translate to a project or potential opportunity down the road!” Becky Burns, Corporate Accounting

And finally, we’ll leave you with one more simple tip: “Smile! It will make you seen more open and welcoming.” We totally agree, Dylan.

We asked several L&P Executives one question: What qualities are most important in a business leader?  Here are their responses:

1. “Integrity has to be at the top of the list. It’s a quality that has been deeply embedded in our culture for a very long time. Also on my list are respect, communication skills, and an ability to empower capable people to carry out their own responsibilities.” Susan McCoy, Senior VP – Investor Relations

2. “Intellect, energy, and integrity. I want to hire a person who will demonstrate care for others and who will work and communicate honestly. I want someone on my team who is motivated to jump in and help others and who is willing to define their role broadly.” Mitch Dolloff, Executive VP/COO

3. “I consider personal integrity to be a given. I think a positive attitude is most critical – all else can be learned.” Perry Davis, Executive VP/President of Industrial Products and Residential Products

4. “Leaders have a moral compass which always points North. They also remember that it’s not about them; it’s about the team. This perspective allows them to be open-minded and excellent listeners.” Matt Flanigan, Executive VP/CFO

5. “Simply put, successful leaders must be good people who are sensitive to the needs of others.” Karl Glassman, President & CEO

L&P recognizes the critical role that safety plays in all we do ⁠— 24/7 and 12 months a year. Through weekly Tool Box talks, ongoing safety training, monthly safety meetings, and other activities, we continuously strive to protect everyone who walks through our doors. We asked our Corporate Risk Team to share some of the reasons that employee safety is so important at Leggett & Platt. Here are their Top 5:

1. To show respect. Our employees are our greatest asset. It is a duty and moral responsibility of  L&P to look after our employee’s protection. “I’m really proud that we’ve invested in the Safeguard initiative to give our people the tools for a safe work environment,” says CEO Karl Glassman.

2. To help our employees have a better quality of life. We believe our employees should head home from work as good as or better than when they arrived each day.

3. To help reduce workplace stress. It’s our goal to help reduce workplace stress and yield a better quality of life.  We strive to create a culture where our employees safeguard each other, on and off the job, every day.

4. To increase engagement. Safer jobs mean happier employees. Involvement in the safety program improves morale and leads to more long-term partnerships at work. “The most rewarding part of my job is seeing partners become excited about SafeGuard and making their facilities safe.  I consider it an honor to work closely with the branches to come up with solutions to eliminating and reducing hazards,” shares Tammy Jones, Loss Control Engineer.

5. To help the business. A strong safety culture = a more successful business. Safe workplaces contribute to the overall success of the enterprise and all of L&P’s stakeholders.