Nick Jonsson, Co-Founder, and MD, Executives Global Network EGN
Nick is the Co-Founder and MD of one of Asia’s premiere networking organizations.
Podcast
Overview
Networking, they say, is about planting relationships. Networks help you when you need a better position or a solution to your problem. Sometimes, even seen negatively, it becomes important to understand the intention with which one network. It doesn’t always have to be several contacts, but the quality they bring to your life personally or professionally.
Today’s guest, Mr. Nick Jonsson, who runs a networking organization talks about specializing in peer small groups. He also discusses how these networks help share mutual concerns ranging from the professional front to mental health. “It is easier to get lonely at the top, but such networking groups help in sharing and feeling a little less lonely.
About Nick Jonsson
Nick Jonsson is the founder and managing director of Executives’ Global Network, Singapore. The organization runs peer network groups to help the business executives and leaders to collaborate professionally. Uniquely, he also aims to help alleviate the loneliness that usually comes to people at the top. He is an author, speaker, athlete, and mental health educator. Driven by a mission, he works relentlessly to remove the stigma associated with mental health in workplaces.
DISCUSSION
Nick discusses the functions of his organization. He explains how they work to create specialized peer small groups with a trained certified advisor in each team. He states that such smaller groups help in more efficient communication among the business executives and leaders.
Nick throws light on the benefits of networking professionally and personally. He says, “It is an investment for yourself, it is about getting your next work easily with networking.”
Is too much networking bad?
Though a networking professional, he doesn’t believe in networking with large numbers of people. Nick stresses the importance of quality over quantity. He doesn’t believe in the traditional approach of organising meetings where business executives run around trying to make contacts.
Nick stresses the importance of relationship building and knowing your network personally. He feels positive about social media to have opened a door to networking. However, he insists on nurturing the relationships with personal meetings.
Nick also shares how the pandemic enabled them to come up with new ideas and solutions to the problems of their network groups. #peer #networking #TBCY #loneliness #relationships.
Book on Loneliness
Nick reveals the impact that a survey of two and a half years in Singapore on the business executives had on him. He shares that 30% of the top leaders were lonely and had no medium or group to share their feelings with, owing to the stigma that comes with it.
He speaks about his personal experience with it. Working as an active mental health educator and well-being expert, he decided to write a book, “Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Modern Business World.”
More about Nick
Nick also works as a volunteer for a suicide prevention agency in Singapore. He is on a mission to create awareness and raise funds for the hotline.
Nick shares how the number of calls increased during the pandemic.
He feels content to have been able to create a channel through his peer groups, where the stigma has reduced, and the leaders are now aware and checking with their teams. He advises the people to ask for help whenever needed.
Profile
Nick is the Co-Founder and MD of one of Asia’s premiere networking organizations. He built a caring community that provides hundreds of executives a safe haven to share their challenges, and receive support and learn from each other. Having worked across Asia, Australia and Europe representing major international firms, Nick has acquired international general management, direct sales and marketing experience. Nick has also been entrusted to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Ho Chi Minh City and the Vice Chairman of the Direct Selling Committee Vietnam. Nick is active in charitable and fundraising organizations to give back and support his local community.Nick volunteers and fundraises for the Samaritans (SOS) – a suicide prevention hotline in Singapore. He is also engaged in doing community service for a support group for senior executives where he is assisting people who are suffering from executive loneliness. This topic is close to Nick’s heart and he have spoken on several radio stations and in multiple conferences and company events on the topic. Nick has been featured in more than 20 newspapers and magazines including a 4 page feature in the Business Times and a full page in the Straits Times, as well as on TV including Channel News Asia (CNA). His passion for mental health awareness has also paved the way for Nick to author his first book, published in April 2021—”Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety and Depression in the Modern Business World”
