Your Invisible Network

by Michael Urtuzuástegui Melcher

Create, maintain, and leverage professional relationships—in only 20 minutes a day.

Meaningful relationships are a must-have to sustain and further your career. A network built on reciprocity, depth, and trust isn’t merely helpful to your career growth; it is absolutely necessary. Your skills, work ethic, education, lived experience, passions—all these will only achieve their full potential when paired with meaningful relationships.

Your Invisible Network provides a practical, nuanced plan for building and sustaining a network that will supercharge your growth—from author Michael Urtuzuástegui Melcher, an internationally acclaimed executive coach and leadership expert who has partnered with professionals in nearly every field for decades. Every chapter of Your Invisible Network contains compelling true stories along with quick lessons and manageable practice exercises that even the busiest of professionals can fit into their schedules.

As you take immediate action to build and deepen your network, you’ll learn how to:

• Recognize the seven types of relationships critical for your career success
• Foster meaningful connections with people with whom you have little in common
• Find mentors and sponsors
• Reach out to people despite discomfort—and know what to do if they don’t respond
• Serve as a resource and benefactor to others
• Develop your convening power
• Build a happier and more fulfilled work life

No matter what career stage you’re in, it’s time to reevaluate your network and equip yourself with the tools to boost its power—your secret weapon for career success.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Professional Development

304 pages, Hardcover

Published April 4, 2023

Reviews

[Marissa Corona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book to every professional starting out. Very strategic, actionable, and relatable. The author does an amazing job of putting tactics and specifics behind building and optimizing your network.

[Josephine Olok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical and actionable advice. Great reference, and will be following the recommendations.

[Margaret Enloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book group of coaches chose this book to read and we're all glad we did. Lots of practical advice for individuals and coaches working with clients. My book has numerous flagged pages and the Conclusion is full of articles, assessments, Ted Talks and suggestions on what you can do to advance your learning on ten different subjects, like self-awareness, apologies and attending events, to name only three. The book will be a very useful reference for me as I continue to coach clients on enhancing relationships, taking advantage of their network and getting out of their comfort zone!!

[Tonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish they sold this book when I was coming out of school. We're taught that if we work hard, get good grades and apply effort (take action) to get a job - that we will be successful. However, there's no emphasis on the power of relationships and networking, which is ultimately the key to real authentic and sustainable success. Michael does a spectacular job of not only teaching this but showing the 'how' to do it. Making it possible for everyone. With all levels of social comfort and personality traits. I highly recommend Your Invisible Network and will be sharing it widely.
Tonia

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly palatable way to approach building your professional network.
While much of this is common sense, the personal examples (as well as tips and exercises) throughout the book help frame "networking" in a fresh light.

This helps light a fire in me as I work towards a career pivot. Looking forward to put some of these into action.

[Eric Nehrlich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as Michael Melcher has been generous in sharing his time and perspective with me a couple times, but I didn't get much out of it. It might be helpful to somebody with no clue how to network, as it lays out the necessary work with email templates and conversation starters. But I didn't find the stories he shares compelling and I didn't get any insights or perspective shifts out of the book. Admittedly, I only skimmed it, reading chapters here and there, but that's also a reflection that the content was not attractive enough for me to settle down and keep reading.

[Kerri Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful tips and mindset shifts written by someone who sincerely knows what he's talking about.

Melcher is a delightful human who really does have authentic, value-added networking tactics dialed in; I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to expand their networking skills in the year(s) ahead.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s funny how certain books find you at a precise moment in your life when you might need them … or we find them! Never in my life I thought I’d enjoy a book on networking this much. This gem is packed with a lot of actionable advice and reads ever so effortlessly if you are ready for it. This book is definitely in my top 10 favorites. Highly recommend.

[Prolific Wisdom - Mark Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and useful advice on building your network

Michael has written a book based on his many years of experience and that of his incredible team of 25 advisors. Your invisible network is very accessible and very practical and I recommend it.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book, I will come back to again. There are a lot of actionable steps and it would take a minute to delve into each one and fully practice/appreciate the merit and approaches. I will work through the most salient ones to me currently and then come back around to the others.

[Nirupama P.R.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blowingly great

[Stefano Leccese Renzetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone want that want to have better relationships should read this

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid overview of professional relationship techniques. The author does a good job of breaking down items into easy to accomplish tasks, offering ways to make networking part of life rather than just something one does when looking for a job.