Your First Leadership Job: How Catalyst Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others

Your First Leadership Job

Mastery and Leadership Skills19You and Your NetworkNurture Your Business Relationships

Pre:Think

If you had a problem in your life, to whom would you reach out for advice? Why? Make a list of at least five names. Now, who in your personal life reaches out to you for help? Why? Make a list of at least five names.

It Is Who You Know

The idea of a belonging to a network intimidates many people. There are many reasons for this—all of them perfectly reasonable. For many of us, networking feels like a cringe-inducing chore, filled with awkward conversations with people who can't really help you anyway. Is networking even a real thing? What's the point?

This feeling has only gotten more profound as the world has gone digital. Today, social networks now define information overload. Our online lives can seem like an always-on fire hose of data with the good stuff you might need for work wedged in between checking Instagram and taking lunchtime selfies. Even if you're sold on the idea of a network, it's hard to know how to build a good one or if your efforts are paying off. Maybe you just hate asking other people for things, like help. Or, maybe you aren't really a people person. Humans can be challenging, we agree.

We've talked a great deal in this book about leadership as a human endeavor, and a deeply rewarding one at that. And we promise you this: You'll ...