Fantasy Football season is here already, you say?  Great.  I guess that means I can kiss my husband goodbye for the next several months, except when he wakes me up in the middle of the night to obsess about who he passed over in the draft.  MSNBC just ran a story about a new book that advocates using Fantasy Football to climb the corporate ladder.  And although I’d be interested to know how the author managed to write an entire manuscript on this topic, I’m intrigued by the prospect of the game as a means to network with senior managers you might not get to meet otherwise.

 I buy the premise, with a few caveats.  First, I agree with Will Leitch, the Deadspin EIC who was quoted in the MSNBC story.  Senior managers might love football as much as the next guy, but I guarantee they will not look favorably upon an employee who focuses more on the game than his job.  So be careful not to waste huge amounts of time.  Have fun, but keep your perspective and your priorities firmly grounded in reality.  Also, don’t pressure or bribe colleagues to participate. Peer pressure of this sort really has no place in the business world.  If people want to play, trust me, they’ll let you know. 

All and all, though, I’m in favor of any social activity that puts younger employees in contact with executives.  If football isn’t your thing, you might think about other company-sponsored options, such as joining the softball team, volunteering for a good cause, or getting together for drinks after the summer picnic.  And don’t miss chances to network with senior managers outside your company too.  Attend industry events when you can, and always have a few smart questions in your back pocket in case you have the opportunity to meet someone who could help you later on!