A few years ago, I learned this lesson the hard way. I was running a major project and had built strong relationships across the organization — colleagues in other departments knew my work, trusted my judgment, and were engaged in what we were doing. By most measures, my internal network was thriving. But I had a blind spot. I had neglected the relationship with the leader of my own department. Not intentionally — I was busy, she was busy, and I assumed strong results woul