Building Your Leadership Network

The loneliest part of management is that the people you’d normally vent to or learn from are now your reports — and you can’t be fully candid with them about the hardest parts of the job. That’s exactly why a network beyond your own team isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s where you get perspective, sanity checks, and honesty you can’t get inside your reporting line. This topic will cover the distinct roles you want around you — peers who get it, mentors who’ve walked the path, and sponsors who advocate for you in rooms you’re not in — plus the communities worth joining and how to give as much as you take. The Go Deeper links are good first doors to walk through.