Part III: Notice Your Network

The next principle in the HUNT is "Notice your network," and it's a little different in the corporate setting than it is for entrepreneurs. But the similarities are important: In both the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds, informal relationships—not meetings and formal evaluations—are where the real business of business gets done. In both worlds, your network is your lifeblood. The difference when you work for someone else (versus running your own company) is that your network can get extremely complicated. After all, you've got your boss, your boss's boss, and your coworkers—and all those people are looking to get ahead, just like you are. But if you see other people in the company as obstacles you have to get over, you're likely to fail. The way to get ahead in a company is to walk the line between upsetting people and doing favors for them. You walk a fine line.

"You don't have to like someone to form an alliance at work," Jennifer Allyn (Chapter 5, "Rally for a Cause") told me. Jennifer, managing director for gender retention and advancement at PricewaterhouseCoopers, counsels people to have a broad group of "friends" at work—people who you do favors for and who can be counted on to do favors for you when you need them. It's not like your personal life where you're likely to have a small circle of trusted friends; a work network needs to be a big shallow lake, not a small deep pond.

Strong Alliances

Although everyone in this book has managed his or her network well, the people in Part III truly have excelled at it. Ralph Stayer found the key to his success was seeing the people below him as partners, not just workers. Ed Cortese sees the whole world as his network, and he remembers that whenever he walks out his front door. Isisara Bey manages a huge extended network of former colleagues and even stays in touch with her old college professors, who have helped her career several times. Greg Downey took a chance meeting with a professional athlete in a doctor's waiting room, and turned it into the foundation of his career. Everyone has his or her own style for building alliances; how do you build yours?

Be a Leader

When it comes to doing favors for people at work, don't forget the people under you: If your staff improves, you'll look great. In addition to meeting Linda Rabb (Chapter 1, "The Compound Income Effect"), I was also able to interview many of her coworkers and mentors. One of her early mentors is named David Cloud. When David moved up from sales agent to district coordinator, it was his first time supervising people. And his staff wasn't much—they were just about the lowest performing group of sales agents in his state of Georgia. He took these three part-time agents, sat them down, and promised them all a portion of his sales commissions over the next 3 months if they would come on board full-time. "I told them, 'I'm going to show you how to make this business work,'" he recalls. "It was the decision of whether to take care of my people and make sure they had a paycheck or write the business myself and make sure I had a paycheck. It was tough. I chose to get them a paycheck." At the end of 3 months, all three of the agents chose to stay—and they helped make David's district the top producer in the state of Georgia by a wide margin. David continued to move up in the company, and now at age 32 he is earning close to a million dollars in commissions. Two heads—or three or fifty—are obviously better than one!

Even if you don't earn commissions, this philosophy of empowering the people you supervise is a good move. After all, if your staff learns to be self-motivating, you all get more done and become very valuable to your employer. Motivating and leading people is one of the most difficult skills to teach someone—much more difficult than the basics of a business. That's why it's important to remember to model the kind of behavior you want in return from the people under you as well as the people on your level and above.

Currency of Goodwill

One of the ways you build and sustain alliances is through the currency of goodwill. This is often called "office politics," and many times we think of that as something of which we'd rather not be a part. Instead of avoiding politics, learn how to play the game with integrity. It's very simple. Whenever you can, do something positive for your coworkers, bosses, and people below you; when you need a favor back, go ahead and ask. Avoid people who don't reciprocate. After all, playing politics doesn't mean playing the fool. You don't have to help people who don't return favors. The currency of goodwill can be like money in the bank—build it up, and you will have something to draw on when you take on a new project.

Have Mentors

Mentor relationships come in all shapes and sizes. As you read this book, ask yourself who your mentors have been and who you could ask to give you this kind of help. A boss can be a sort of mentor, but it's good to have mentors who aren't responsible for your compensation. Many companies have formal mentor programs you can enroll in; if not, consider approaching a retired executive. Make it a point to attend community groups such as Rotary, where these retirees can be found.

And if you have the chance, mentor others. What goes around, comes around. People who mentor others always say that when they teach someone else, they end up learning lessons as well.

Birds of a Feather

Another reason to manage your network is for the inner benefit. Your network will help you nurture your leadership, stamina, and commitment—all qualities you'll need to stay committed to your own success. The thing about corporate life is that even though you're surrounded by people, it can be a very lonely place. When you get turned down for a promotion or your pet project fails, who do you turn to? If you have a network of trusted people, you'll find a sympathetic ear; you'll know who the backstabbers are that you should avoid. And when those successes come, you'll have people to help you uncork the champagne.

Instead of moaning about how the corporate world is filled with mediocre people—and it is—build yourself a network of go-getters like yourself. After all, doctors know other doctors, lawyers know lawyers, and movers and shakers know other movers and shakers. When you feel surrounded by laggards, go find your flock of successful birds. After all, birds of a feather flock together.

Your network is your career's infrastructure—the roads and bridges that will move you along your career path. The stories in the next few chapters have some great lessons about how to build your network.