Step 5: Develop and Use a Professional Network

Passages often mean change, and change may impel you to find a new assignment within your company, to seek greater responsibility, even to leave the company, change direction, or search for something else. These passages also drive people to seek out others for information about opportunities, advice, political insights about the company, or late-breaking developments. It makes sense to establish internal and external networks of people you can rely on for these purposes. Ideally, you will have established these networks prior to entering the passage (it takes time to build networks), and you may lack that time or focus during a passage.

Plugging into a network means making a conscious effort to talk to and meet with others about the issues raised by a given passage. As we’ve emphasized, exposing your vulnerabilities—especially using the phrase, “I don’t know”—creates learning for yourself and, as a leader, you create learning for others. Opening up to others can facilitate change. Someone in your network may suggest a coach who can help you address a performance issue or may give you a lead for a job that offers the responsibility and challenging projects you need. This network may also affect your personal life, linking you to other ways of developing and growing as a leader, including volunteer assignments, participation in religious activities, support groups, or new friends. Leaders are as smart, capable, and wise as the networks they can call on when they need it.

To me, that’s what life is about—pilgrims on a journey. We go through life together and if we can help each other, that’s a good thing. I don’t like the word mentor. I like to think of it as a friendship. It’s a two-way street, and we learn from each other.

Bill George, former chairman and CEO, Medtronic