“It takes two to make a thing go right.
It takes two to make it outta sight.”
‘It Takes Two’ by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock
There are some dope tracks that stand the test of time. This mid-90s hit by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock fits that bill.
That said, I wish they re-wrote the lyrics to be: “It takes MANY to make a thing go right.” The reason is that the network of relationships in our orbit can have a multiplier effect on achieving full potential as a leader and as a human. In other words, it’s the “many” around us that can help us “make it outta sight!”
Leadership principle: Cultivate a diverse garden of networks, each with distinct purposes.
In order to flourish, leaders need to cultivate four networks, each with a unique purpose: Operational, Strategic, Developmental, and Support & Joy.1
Operational: The backbone of your professional ecosystem, this network serves as the roots that enable you and your team to execute. It includes individuals in other groups or functions as well as those outside your company (advisors, suppliers, distributors, etc.), upon whose work you rely to achieve your priorities.
Strategic: This network provides the fuel for the visionary aspect of your leadership. Like a skilled gardener who predicts and prepares for changing seasons, your strategic network should include people that help you to anticipate future trends and succeed in navigating them. These tend to be relationships with people outside of your organization.
Developmental: This network is composed of trusted individuals whom you can consult for expert advice and guidance, including when it comes to your professional journey. It constitutes the rich fertilizer that can help you grow faster and more balanced as a leader. People sometimes refer to this as their “personal board of directors.”
Support & Joy: This network is the emotional sustenance for your wellbeing. Like the nourishing soil, it consists of those who provide support, bring joy and occasionally give you the necessary kick-in-the-pants during difficult times.2 Family, friends, and other trusted individuals make up this crucial network. I find executives pay a lot of lip service to this network, but many of us (myself included) have let this one erode over time, particularly post-pandemic and as we age.3
By cultivating these four types of networks, leaders can ensure that they not only navigate today's challenges but also prepare and sustain their energy for tomorrow's opportunities.
So what does it take to more intentionally build these networks?
For many, the idea of “networking” is a massive turnoff. If you are one of those people, consider James Clear’s advice, which can help re-frame how you think about it:
“The most effective networking strategy I’ve found has nothing to do with conferences, cocktail hours, cold emails, or any of the common ideas you hear:
1) Do interesting things.
2) Share them publicly [and privately]Repeat those two strategies and you’ll become a magnet. Like-minded people will come to you.”
You can start small with these two strategies and progressively take bigger and bigger risks.
In the next four Friday Reflections, I’ll explore each of these four networks and offer some specific ideas on the archetypes of relationships needed in each (expect some Marvel analogies).4 As always, I will also offer some practical actions you can take to strengthen each of these networks.
Take Action: Practical and Proven Steps
Assess the strength of your four networks (Operational, Strategic, Developmental and Support & Joy). Determine which one is strongest and which one requires the most nurturing. If helpful, rate each one on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 equals “I have all the relationships I need in this area and I consistently engage with them in meaningful ways” and 1 equals “I have no relationships I can consistently count on in this area.”
Identify someone you know who has a strong network in the area where you are weakest. Ask them how they go about cultivating their network and determine which of their habits or actions you can adopt.
Invest in the double and triple role people in your network. Some of us are lucky to have people who belong to more than one of the four networks. These relationships are particularly central to our success as time spent with them and time invested in their success has huge ROI.
Reflect: Some Questions to Consider
Where have I been most intentional in building each of my networks?
Which network feels like it will require the most “work” to build (and maybe even creates a sense of dread)?
How can I reframe the idea of building a network so that it connects to my values?
If this week’s Friday Reflection was practical or enjoyable (or maybe even both!), please share it with your colleagues and friends.
First huge credit goes to my brilliant colleague and friend Shoma Chatterjee Hayden for sharing her framework on networks and exposing me to Linda Hill’s great work on the topic in Being the Boss. Second, I experimented a bit this week with a new AI tool HyperWrite and it helped me to come up with the metaphor and the first pass for a good chunk of the piece based on an outline. I made some tweaks so that it was closer my voice but it is remarkable how effective these generative AI technologies are.
While I often reflect on the soul and science of leadership, I’ve been thinking more lately about a third “S” - suffering. Leaders glean some of their most important in lessons during suffering. That said, we maximize our odds of learning through suffering by having a strong support & joy network who can lift us up through these times. I’ve got a reflection in the works on this topic, but still simmering on it a bit.
When I write the focused reflection on the Social Support Network, I’ll elaborate further on this point. The idea of “social fitness,” coined by Robert Waldinger, the lead researcher of a 75-year Harvard study on happiness, resonates with me. As an athlete and someone who cares deeply about physical fitness, this is a helpful way to frame the value and impact of relationships our lives.
Always appreciate crowd sourced analogies as well, especially if they relate to the MCU, sports, music or art.