5 relationships that make (or break) your career

What’s one of the biggest career boosters for women? Hint: it’s not a pricey coach or Big LinkedIn Energy – it’s simply a partner who takes on their fair share at home.

Powrsuit expert Dr Amanda Sterling recently published her latest research into women and leadership. While most studies focus on identifying the barriers women face, she aimed to surface tangible things that help women progress. After analysing hundreds of survey responses, what was the most common answer? A spouse who treats life admin as a team sport.

Over a craft beer last week, we shared our thoughts on this with columnist Mike O’Donnell – you can read the resulting article here. But as interesting as these findings are, this one has a limited conversational lifespan: As a professional development platform, we know careers don’t exist in a vacuum, but we also think your love life is your business.

So we started thinking about all the other relationships that can impact your career success. Many of these, we can help with – so here goes:

Build your brain’s trust

At one of our workshops last week, we encouraged participants to share their current ‘ask’ (an underrated networking tactic). One woman said, “I’d like to meet other new mums who are navigating the juggle”, and the room broke out in spontaneous applause – she was very clearly not alone.

In the busyness of life, it’s so easy to feel like we’re on our own, or that it’s our fault if we’re struggling. Neither of those self-limiting beliefs is true. We are surrounded by people navigating the same situations and challenges as we are.

At Powrsuit, we’re huge fans of building a professional board of directors – a small group you meet with regularly to discuss your career. We also know that it can take a bit of effort to set one up. So, over the next few months, we’re handing your board to you on a silver platter. During in-person events in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, or Singapore, we’ll carefully match you into small groups and give you an agenda to have your first board meeting right there and then (complete with drinks, snacks and a trial Powrsuit membership). Spaces are strictly limited, so get info and tickets here.

Get friendscaping

Friendships shouldn’t be something we do between life; they should be a core part of it. You don’t need a wide social group, either; five close friends is about the maximum humans can handle.

So how do your friendships fuel your career? In a couple of ways. Your friends inspire and energise you; their successes influence your goals and ambition. For women, especially, friends also offer critical emotional support as we navigate gendered obstacles throughout our careers (and at home!). And, people who like you tend to know other people you’d like – so their deep friendships become your weak ties.

Your friendships may change over time, and that’s ok. But don’t let them fall to the bottom of your priority list. A quick walk, a glass of wine, or a voice note can go a long way in giving and receiving the support you need to succeed.

Connect with your weak ties

Yes, we know, small talk has a big, bad rep, but we should all embrace it. Because, while close friends give you support, weak ties give you reach.

Your weak ties are your shallower relationships. They include current and past colleagues, neighbours, university classmates, your local barista, friends-of-friends, LinkedIn connections, parents you bump into at school pickup (or on sports sidelines) and people who share your daily bus commute… To name a few.

Your weak ties deliver power in numbers. All these casual relationships give you access to networks, knowledge and other opportunities that can help your career. You may not be their bestie, but you may be the perfect fit for the job they’re advertising. And because these relationships are more light-touch, you don’t have to put in a lot of effort to build social capital – we share some suggestions here.

Invest in your manager

Your spouse may be the biggest influence on your career success, but your manager is equally important.

It’s your manager’s job to help you succeed. They have outsized sway over the feedback you receive and the opportunities that land in your lap – they’re responsible for creating the conditions you need to thrive (think flexible work, role modelling, etc).

Your manager is also human; they have weaknesses, an overloaded calendar and their own career goals. All of these things can leave you struggling to get the support you need. But, like all relationships, this one is a two-way street, which is why we’ve provided a how-to guide for managing your manager.

Intentional connection

If Powrsuit’s fabulous allies are anything to go by, the concept of a ‘supportive spouse’ is on the brink of a Madonna and Oprah-style rebrand. Soon, we’ll call them by only one name: Partner.

In the meantime, think of your career in much the same way as a school playground. The career jungle gym is best climbed with others – so invest in your current connections, and make a couple of new ones at our upcoming in-person events!