HBR Guide to Smarter Networking (HBR Guide Series)

Introduction: Building a Smarter Network

Take a moment and think about the word network. If you’ve read a business article, listened to a podcast, or watched a TED talk any time over the past decade, you know that high-quality, diverse professional networks lead to better job prospects and business opportunities. They expose us to new information, allow us to advance more quickly in our careers, and even help put innovative ideas into practice faster. And all this applies to new leaders, entry-level professionals, job seekers, entrepreneurs, in a word, everyone. If you want to reach your career goals, you need a great network.

Now take another moment and think about the word networking. Does it have the same positive associations? Is it something ...