Relationship Archaeology

Relationship archaeology excavates the history behind current influence relationships. People who have worked together before carry trust that transcends organizational hierarchy. A CEO who hired their current VP of Sales at three consecutive companies has a trust bond that no new relationship can match. A CTO who co-founded a previous company with the current head of engineering has a peer relationship that ignores the current reporting structure. These historical bonds are the strongest influence channels in any organization — and they are invisible to anyone who looks only at the current org chart.

1. Map Career Overlaps For every key stakeholder, trace their career history on LinkedIn. Identify overlapping tenures with other stakeholders — same company, same time period. Three years of working together at a previous company creates a relationship that fundamentally shapes how these two people interact in the current organization. Document every overlap with dates and roles.
2. Identify Hiring Chains Who hired whom? When a leader brings people from their previous company to their current one, the trust relationship is deep and the loyalty is personal, not institutional. These "brought-along" relationships often form the core of a leader's informal advisory network. The person who was brought along will almost always support the person who brought them.
3. Trace Board and Advisory Connections Board members, advisors, and investors have influence that crosses organizational boundaries. A board member who invested in the CEO's previous company has a relationship that carries weight in every strategic discussion. Advisory board members who consult regularly with the executive team shape decisions without appearing in any formal decision process.