As managers move up the organizational hierarchy, their roles and responsibilities change.i They spend less time supervising internally and more time networking externally, building relationships with customers, clients, vendors and consultants.ii The issues they deal with (such as promoting the company, replacing an executive or acquiring another company) become increasingly sensitive, thus requiring skills in diplomacy and emotional intelligence. Despite their inevitable desire to reach out to others for assistance in dealing with such burdens, managers worry about revealing the vulnerabilities or weaknesses of themselves or their organization. Therefore, the criteria they use to screen members of their support network become more stringent.

While executives realize that seeking personal support may make them vulnerable, they also know it is crucial for their success. Scholars have long recognized the importance of such support, in the form of social relations, as a key factor in health. House et al.iii provide a rich review of the social support and health literature. More recently, scholars have focused on the impact of support networks on organizational effectiveness. Pavett and Lauiv discuss social support in its many forms, including emotional help, information support, instrumental support and appraisal. House et al.v highlight the importance of the functional content of social relationships, while Wellman and Wortleyvi identify the forms of social support as emotional aid, small services, large
services, financial aid and