Welcome

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For those of you playing along at home, this is the 10th issue of Off the Ladder! So far, we’ve really challenged ourselves to look inward, question norms, and reflect on what we really want out of our own careers.

And it’s true; When people talk about career moves, the focus is usually on the individual: your skills, your drive, your ambition. But no one climbs (or leaps off) a ladder alone. The people around you (mentors, collaborators, friends, even those casual connections who nudge you in a new direction) matter more than we often admit.

This week, let’s talk about the power of the company you keep.

What’s inside:

• Success is not a solo project

• The data agrees; you need a work bestie

• Stop thinking of networking as transactional

• A few good reads on the importance of your professional community

• Think differently of your network and reconnect

Main Idea

We like to think of success as a solo project. The truth? It’s rarely that.

Every risk feels less daunting when you’ve got someone in your corner. Every bold idea sharpens when shared with curious minds. And sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come not from grinding harder, but from a single conversation that unlocks a new way of seeing things.

This very newsletter was born out sharing my discomfort with the traditional career ladder and the desire to have a voice and build a community with my own network. Were it not for the brainstorming, feedback, and support of those around me to just do it, you and I wouldn’t be plotting our leap together today.

Your network doesn’t have to be vast. It just has to be authentic. The colleagues who challenge you. The friends who hype you up. The mentor who reminds you that you’re capable of more than you think.

If you’re feeling stuck, maybe it’s not about switching jobs or chasing a new project. Maybe it’s about switching the company you keep; seeking out people who inspire you, support you, and push you forward.

I’m not suggesting you fire your best friend, or put your sister on a PIP. But rather, building an intentional circle of people you can trust to push you to push yourself in the direction you want to go. Call it a Career Board of Directors.

Because careers aren’t built in isolation. They’re built in community.

Ditch the Metrics

Burn the business scorecard – focus on what matters!

The Metric:
A 2022 Gallup study revealed that only 2 in 10 U.S. employees report having a “best friend” at work despite ever growing LinkedIn follower counts.

The Counterpoint:
That matters! The same article states that having a close colleague dramatically influences performance, safety, retention, and emotional well-being

Ditch It:
It’s not the number of LinkedIn connections that counts; it’s the depth of human bonds. One real friendship at work can fuel your engagement in ways tons of followers never will.

Reframe This

 A quick thought-flip to help shift how you see your work, your worth, or your path.

Old Belief: Networking is about finding “who can help me get ahead”.

New Perspective: Networking should really be about finding “who can I grow with”. The best relationships aren’t transactional; they’re transformational.

Rung Breaks

A curated mix of tools, links, books, and ideas to help you step off the ladder and into your own path.

✍️ Read: The Strength of Weak Ties - Sociologist Mark Granovetter’s famous study showed that career-changing opportunities often come not from close friends, but from weak ties, or acquaintances, colleagues, or friends-of-friends.

📚 Book: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi - a classic on cultivating authentic connections

🎧 Podcast Episode: The Knowledge Project – Episode with Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn founder) on networks & serendipity

✍️ Read: The One Thing Business Schools Need to Start Teaching - Time article highlighting how many business schools overlook teaching networking, despite its critical role in shaping careers. Experts stress that relationship-building is not an innate skill but an essential one, and it can be taught.

🎨 Inspiration: it’s all about community 

Your Move

A reflection and challenge to help you break out of autopilot and make real change.

Reflection Prompt:

Challenge:

Until Next Time…

Let’s face it; we spend a lot of our life working. Whether it’s just to help get you through a stressful workday, or to help you take that next career step, your professional relationships are essential.

So if you’re reading this, consider your network one person bigger.

See you off the ladder.

— Sean Sirianni
Founder, Off the Ladder

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