Your Network is Your Net Worth

The most valuable asset you have is not your money but your "interpersonal creative riches," says public speaker, entrepreneur, and blogger Gale. She champions cultivating social capital to create a "safety net," and describes her networking recipe with clear steps and tools. Though readers may initially find her advice daunting, Gale is an effective cheerleader: "I've been in a pot that was outgrown. You can either stay and wither or get a bigger pot." She tells readers how to put her advice into action, by helping others when you don't expect anything in return, navigating privacy issues, relying on a "core circle" for support, and learning to work with "hub players." Sprinkled throughout are stories of reluctant networkers who learned to draw on their own circles for strength. The most inspiring of these anecdotes, however, are Gale's own, and they are sure to convert even the most jaded of readers. With a foreword from Guy Kawasaki, Gale's book is robust, encouraging, and entertaining%E2%80%94perfect for anyone who gets faint at the mention of a cocktail party. Readers will come away prepared to build relationships and lift themselves to higher levels of success. Agent: Stephen Hanselman, Level 5 Media. (June)