Thanks Andy, I can hear the honesty in your post. I've experienced this "networking". Ugh, I can't even when someone says they are from Eaton. I think it's also practical to have as many people in your team with different perspectives. But I never had this for the first half of my career. So I feel sad that now this is a value promoted, not to have access to it!!! I hated the banter in offices in the 2000s. But as a lone young graduate, there was no power to do much in a meeting of men and the only woman. One opportunity I had that broke this chain was social media in the early 2010s. In a way, it is also networking because people in my industry could watch I was "talking" to the right names in the industry. I don't think social media works like this so much anymore - but there seems to be an excitement around Linkedin (whether it pays them as ambassadors or not). But the same rule applies to speak to people and network daily. Great post - lots of food for thought!