Making Real Connections (HBR Women at Work Series)

by Harvard Business Review, Amy Gallo, Amy Edmondson, Tina Opie, Dorie Clark

Overview

Relationships built on trust matter.

Deep and meaningful connections, especially with other women, are critical to our careers and to our overall well-being and happiness. The bonds we build based on trust allow us to help one another, learn, and advance. But high-quality professional relationships are only possible with emotional openness and not all women, especially those from underrepresented groups, feel they can be vulnerable enough at work to develop these kinds of ties.

Making Real Connections provides the research, advice, and practical tips you need to go beyond small talk with your colleagues and shallow, transactional networking to create professional relationships that are truly amazing.

This book will inspire you to:

• Find authentic ways to grow your network
• Enjoy the rewards of having real friends at work while avoiding the pitfalls
• Seek out a sponsor—or become one
• Navigate problems when work relationships become draining

The HBR Women at Work Series spotlights the real challenges and opportunities women experience throughout their careers. With interviews from the popular podcast of the same name and related articles, stories, and research, these books provide inspiration and advice for taking on issues at work such as inequity, advancement, and building community. Featuring detailed discussion guides, this series will help you spark important conversations about where we're at and how to move forward.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647822194
Publisher:	Harvard Business Review Press
Publication date:	02/22/2022
Series:	HBR Women at Work Series
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, 12 international licensed editions, books from Harvard Business Review Press, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org, Harvard Business Review provides professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact.

You can find HBR at: hbr.org
Twitter: @HarvardBiz
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review
Facebook: @HBR
Instagram: @harvard_business_review
YouTube: youtube.com/user/harvardbusinessreview

Table of Contents

Introduction

Move Beyond Small Talk and Make a Real Connection xi

Work relationships can be the most meaningful aspects of our professional lives. Emily Caulfield Amy Gallo, cohosts of Women at Work

Section 1 Real Connections Begin with Trust

1 Sisterhood Is Trust 3

Emotional vulnerability makes high-quality relationships at work possible.

A conversation Tina Opie Beth Livingston

2 What Psychological Safety Looks Like in a Hybrid Workplace 17

Managers need to take a new approach to building trust. Amy Edmondson Mark Mortensen

3 The Three Elements of Trust 27

Positive relationships, good judgment, and consistency are the foundation. Jack Zenger Joseph Folkman

4 To Foster Trust, Organizations Need Inclusion and Belonging 33

If people can't be their authentic selves at work, they already have one foot out the door. Michael Slepian

5 Repairing a Professional Relationship When Trust Has Broken Down 39

Disengagement isn't always an option. Dorie Clark

Section 2 Genuine Networking

6 Networking Doesn't Have to Be a Drag 45

How women can manage the challenges of building a strong network. A conversation Inga Carboni

7 Five Misconceptions About Networking 57

Which are holding you back? Herminia Ibarra

8 Remote Networking as a Person of Color 65

Six tips for building relationships when they're more important than ever. Laura Morgan Roberts Anthony J. Mayo

9 Do Women's Networking Events Move the Needle on Equality? 75

Attendees of a conference for women were more likely to be promoted. Shawn Achor

10 How to Protect Your Time Without Alienating Your Network 81

Say yes to the best opportunities, and let the others go graciously. Dorie Clark

11 How to Maintain Your Professional Network over the Years 87

You shouldn't be in touch only when you need something. Rebecca Knight

Section 3 Why Sponsorship Matters

12 Sponsorship: Defining the Relationship 97

Demystifying the sponsor-protégé connection. A conversation Rosalind Chow

13 Sponsors Need to Stop Acting Like Mentors 111

It's time to clarify what sponsorship looks like. Julia Taylor Kennedy Pooja Jain-Link

14 Make Yourself Sponsor-Worthy 119

Performance alone won't get you the support you need. Sylvia Ann Hewlett 119

15 Don't Underestimate the Power of Women Supporting Each Other at Work 123

Avoid the temptation to think there's limited space for people like you. Anne Welsh McNulty 123

16 Want to Be a Better Manager? Get a Protégé 129

Sponsoring others can help you learn new skills and spot areas for growth. Sylvia Ann Hewlett

17 What Men Can Do to Be Better Mentors and Sponsors to Women 135

Understand their challenges and help them get ahead. Rania H. Anderson David G. Smith

Section 4 Making Work Friendships Work

18 Work Friendships Are Mostly Amazing and Sometimes Messy 147

What to do when the demands of the job strain the relationship with your best office pal. A conversation Nancy Rothbard Julianna Pillemer

19 What to Do When You Become Your Friend's Boss 159

Suddenly, you know a little too much about each other. Ben Laker Charmi Patel Ashish Malik Pawan Budhwar

20 When a Work Friendship Becomes Emotionally Draining 167

Establish boundaries without hurting your colleague's feelings. Amy Gallo

21 Stay Friends with Your Work BFF-Even After One of You Leaves 177

How to build on the foundation you established at work. Shasta Nelson

Notes 183

Index 187

Discussion Guide 195

About the Contributors 201

About the Podcast 209