That meeting that wasn’t on your calendar? The quick sync, where the decision was finalized, the plan was hatched, and the strategy formalized?  The invite to the big game, the golf outing, poker night, or fantasy football? You get the picture.  Social network exclusion is real, insidious, and often dismissed with “it was an oversight,” or “don’t overreact.” Did you throw up in your mouth a little?  Us too. 

Consider this:

• 40% of women report never having informal interactions with senior leaders.

• Studies show that access to informal networks, not performance reviews or KPIs, is the strongest predictor of promotion.