If you are an average performer, you have been conditioned to act fearfully when the subject of networking comes up. "My manager will find out," translates into "I will get into trouble," in too many peoples' minds. It is as though their manager or boss is some omnipotent or omniscient being with the ability to know everything about your behavior and thoughts and find out you were considering a job change.

This might have been true in The Stone Ages when people did not own mobile phones and you might have received a call on your office line. A particular employer I worked for used to listen in randomly to employee calls to gain an advantage with his staff and confront people. He ruled by fear and staff came and went.

Things are different but attitudes are slow to adapt to the new facts. Most staff is still afraid to network even though the likelihood of being exposed is almost non-existent (if you use your office email address, you can be exposed by some systems).

But look at what your firm and its management do. How do they network? How do they find opportunities? What do the big girls and the big boys do that you don't?