A large part of management is about networking and building better relationships, but networking does not always come easy. CIO Executive Council members discussed relationship best practices at their recent General Assembly in Carlsbad, Calif., and offer these tips up in CIO magazine. First off, identify your targets. For many CIO, it's other C-level executives. For Tom Langston, CIO at $2.1 billion SSM Health Care System, it's new hires. "Whenever I see a new president or VP arrive, I make it a point to introduce myself and emphasize the value of his/her role as an IT customer," Langston told CIO. Once selected, it's time to meet and greet. Many CIOs say they have created formal documents to track relationships. Next, use your personality to your advantage and realize that it's important to make all of this a part of your job, not unlike finding time for exercise and reflection.

For more on networking:
- see the article in CIO