How to Build Trust With CEOs and Senior Leaders | Chris Morrison (EP 106)

<p><strong>How Can Recruiters Build Better Relationships With CEOs and Senior Leaders? </strong></p><p>What if the best business conversations don&#39;t start with business at all?</p><p>In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I&#39;m joined by Chris Morrison, Group Managing Director at Cedar, to discuss how recruiters can build stronger relationships, have better conversations and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.</p><p>Chris also shares his thoughts on traditional BD versus modern prospecting, using AI without losing authenticity, why face-to-face meetings still matter, and how to balance relationship building with commercial focus.</p><p><br></p><p>⏱️ <strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>00:00 – Introduction<br>03:27 – Why Chris Uses Do Not Disturb to Protect His Performance<br>05:15 – Introducing Chris and Cedar<br>08:59 – Why the Best Business Meetings Don&#39;t Always Start With Business<br>10:44 – Stop Treating Clients and Candidates Differently<br>13:07 – Does Your Environment Change How You Approach Senior People?<br>15:09 – Finding Common Ground Through Personal Connections<br>16:48 – Why Recruiters Feel Intimidated by CEOs and Senior Leaders<br>20:13 – How to Make Cold Calls Feel Warmer<br>21:20 – Why Personal Notes Matter in Recruitment<br>22:11 – The Problem With Calling Multiple Prospects at Once<br>24:59 – How Much Research Should You Do Before a BD Call?<br>28:00 – Chris&#39;s Biggest Frustration With AI-Generated Content<br>32:52 – What Should Recruiters Post About When They&#39;re New to a Market?<br>34:30 – Turning Conversations Into Valuable LinkedIn Content<br>36:55 – Why Storytelling Beats Repeating Statistics<br>37:14 – Has Recruitment BD Changed Over the Years?<br>38:50 – Traditional BD vs Modern Prospecting<br>41:03 – Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter<br>43:28 – Is the Next Generation of Recruiters Less Willing to Meet People?<br>44:33 – How Face-to-Face Meetings Can Help You Stand Out<br>46:16 – Going the Extra Mile to Win Bigger Client Relationships<br>48:39 – Why Listening Matters More Than How You Meet Someone<br>51:25 – How to Build Rapport Before Moving Into Business<br>53:31 – Being Personable Without Losing Commercial Focus<br>55:29 – When Relationship Building Goes Too Far<br>57:45 – Chris&#39;s Advice for Getting One Step Better in Recruitment<br>59:27 – Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks</p><p><br></p><p>🐋 <strong>Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale</strong></p><p>This episode is sponsored by S