I got a call this morning from a former coaching client. Two years ago when I was working with Jerry he expressed interest in writing a book, which I enthusiastically encouraged he pursue. Two years later hes made significant progress and now had questions about the publishing process. In roughly 20 minutes I happily downloaded lessons that were learned since I published my first book 8 years ago.{loadposition content_amazonGotYourBack}Why do I share this story? What if Jerry hadn't surrounded himself with someone who cared enough to help him out? I don't want to over-state the value of my advice for certainly there are plenty of websites and services that have information that could help him achieve his goal. Yet there's something even more powerful about having close access to a circle of people you trust, who you know care about your success, and are eager to help you achieve it.Jerry has that in me. Who do you have in your inner circle or your "Go To Group" (a term I introduce in my keynote on relationships called The Dirty Little Secret of Business)?Who we surround ourselves with is critical, and it's an important lesson in Keith Ferrazzi's new book Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success--and Won't Let You Fail. I first heard of Keith when he wrote the best seller Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time back in 2005.I have to say this upfront: If you lead projects and teams, chances are your success depends far more than you realize on the relationships you build. If you haven't read Keith's books, get them today.

{loadposition content_amazonNeverEat}I look forward to sharing a recent discussion I had with Keith in this cast.In addition to picking up a copy of Keith's books, I invite you to follow Keith's blog. You can find that, along with many additional resources, at KeithFerrazzi.com.Hey, here's another idea. Our keynote entitled The Dirty Little Secret of Business takes this topic of relationships head-on. If you have an upcoming company or association meeting and would like to help the participants better leverage the power of relationships, give us a call! It would be a real pleasure to help your event be a success!I invite you to join me in our next episode when I talk with Steve Martin about the topic of influence! Imagine that--Andy Kaufman talking with Steve Martin! If you're expecting two comedians, you'll be disappointed. However, Steve is an accomplished U.K.-based author, speaker, and consultant on influence. I can assure you that his insights will definitely be helpful for those who responsible for leading people and delivering projects.Quick note: You can now receive notices of new podcast episodes via e-mail, allowing you to listen to them more conveniently and in a timely manner. Sign up here!And, one last thing! Would you take a moment to let a friend or colleague know about The People and Projects Podcast? I'd love to pour into them as well, to help them lead people and deliver projects.Thanks for joining us for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Have a great week!