3 Types of Networks You Need

3 Types of Networks You Need

The old adage "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is truer than ever in today's organizations. But how do you know whom to know? Here are three types of networks it pays to have:

Personal support. Form relationships with people who help you get back on track during a bad day. These may be friends or colleagues with whom you can just be yourself.

Purpose. Include in your network bosses and customers who validate your work, and family members and other stakeholders who remind you that your work has a broader meaning.

Work/life balance. Seek out people who will hold you accountable for activities that improve your physical health, mental engagement, or spiritual well-being.

Management Tip of the Day: 3 Networking Traps to Avoid

Not all networking is created equally. In fact, developing certain kinds of networks can impair your career rather than bolster it. Here are three networking personas to avoid: The biased leader. Don't solely rely on advisers who are similar to you. They only reinforce your biases. Look for people who have different backgrounds or values and will encourage you to make more informed decisions. The superficial networker. A common networking mistake is to engage in surface-level interaction with as many people as possible. A bigger network is not a better one. Be sure your relationships have depth. The chameleon. Don't change your interests, values, and personality to match those of whomever you're talking to. You'll end up more disconnected than when you started. Be true to who you are.