Estimated Runtime: ~7 minutes
Research from Harvard Business Review shows that your internal network is a
stronger predictor of career advancement than your performance reviews. Read
that again. Who you know inside the company matters more than how well you do
your job. That doesn't mean performance doesn't matter — it does. But
relationships are the multiplier.
Think of your relationships in concentric rings. Ring one is your inner circle —
your manager, your teammates, your closest collaborators. Build these in weeks
one and two. These are survival relationships. You need them to do your job.
Ring two is your extended team — cross-functional partners, stakeholders, people
your manager talks about. Build these in weeks three through six. These are
growth relationships. Ring three is your strategic network — senior leaders,
informal influencers, people in roles you aspire to. Build these in weeks six
through twelve. These are career-accelerating relationships.
A mentor gives you advice in private. A sponsor advocates for you in public — in
rooms you're not in, during promotion discussions, when opportunities arise. You
need both, but sponsors are rare and powerful. To attract a sponsor, you need to
be visible, excellent, and trustworthy. They stake their reputation on you.
Schedule five coffee chats in your first month. Not to ask for anything — just
to learn and connect. Build deposits in the relationship bank. You'll need to
make withdrawals later. Next lesson — managing up and communicating effectively
with your boss.