Driving Results Through Social Networks: How Top Organizations Leverage Networks for Performance and Growth

Introduction

Anne Downing was an industry veteran recruited to lead a new but growing business unit at one of the world's largest professional services organizations. Although she was an experienced professional, Anne's challenges were stiff ones: she was new to the company, she was expected to achieve significant revenue growth in her first year, and the leader who preceded her had brought into the unit many people she did not know and who did not know one another.

Anne believed that rich networks were the key to revenue growth and effective management of employees in professional services, but she didn't have the luxury of time to meet everyone and get to know their strengths and weaknesses. Her concerns weren't just social; if the right people ...