💭 Making the case for why success really is "who you know"

Let’s be honest: in a world driven by power and influence, success often hinges on who you know and how well you can leverage those connections.

Who you know, what kind of power you have, and your ability to influence others affects how you:

• Grow your business

• Advance your career

• Make a change in your community

• Build a new community around something you care about

• Become known as an expert in your field

• Drive systemic change

• Change the world for good

While we may not all be setting out to change the world, we can and should leverage the tactics of power, influence, networking in a strategic way, which I call ‘momentum building,’ in order to move our initiatives forward or simply to get ahead in life.

Let’s look at some examples of people who have made it to the top — and how who they knew carved their path to get there. 👇

Jimmy Fallon’s relationship-building reputation

Jimmy Fallon is known for relationship building. A producer became fond of the young comedian while he was on “Saturday Night Live” and offered Fallon advice on how to build a relationship with SNL creator Lorne Michaels, a legend in the industry.

The guidance proved effective, and Michaels and Fallon became good friends. Michaels continued to support Fallon even after his departure from SNL and was instrumental in his transition to “The Tonight Show,” also on NBC. Though the network initially expressed hesitation, it was the power of Michaels' endorsement that ultimately swayed NBC's decision.

How Ursula Burns rose Xerox’s ranks to CEO through direct access to leadership

Ursula Burns started her Xerox career as an intern in 1980 and climbed the ranks to the CEO position by 2009, making her the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.

A manager recognized Burns’ potential early in her career, assigning her more responsibilities and exposing her to new experiences. Burns was later appointed Executive Assistant to a senior executive and then to Paul Allaire, then the Chairman and CEO. Despite initial hesitation, she accepted the role knowing it would allow her to learn quickly and expose her to all aspects of the business.

Allaire eventually put Burns in charge of her own business unit and, when Xerox appointed new CEO Anne Mulcahy, Burns was asked to report directly to the new executive. Mulcahy took to Burns, telling her that she had the potential to be CEO with a few more years of learning. Burns heeded her advice and assumed the position of CEO in 2009 when Mulcahy stepped down.

Susan Wojcicki combined her credibility with serendipity

Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google in 1998 in a garage rented to them by Susan Wojcicki. Wojcicki had no idea that Google would become the global powerhouse it is today; she was just happy to collect some extra cash. Wojcicki didn’t just offer her garage, however: she also lent her experience working as a management consultant and working at Intel to Google’s co-founders. This impressed them, and within a few months, she became Google’s 16th employee. A few years later, Wojcicki advocated for the $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube. Less than a decade after that, she ascended to the role of YouTube's CEO, a position she held from 2014 to 2023. (This story unfolds with a touch of serendipity, but it also leverages relationships, credibility, and influence — all topics we'll explore in a future newsletter.)

💥 Eager to take action?!

Here are two of my past articles to inspire your relationship building:

• The Hidden Power of Casual Connections: How Acquaintances Can Create Opportunity

• Who Should Be In Your Inner Circle?

💭 I’m still taking questions about power, influence and relationship building! Submit your questions via this form and I’ll answer them in an upcoming newsletter and on social media.