The hidden career cost of having a powerful professional network

For ambitious professionals on the road to the C-suite, having influential mentors or a high-profile boss can feel like a golden ticket. Star connections open doors, create early opportunities, and often fast-track promotions. But new research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology finds that those same relationships may eventually become a career liability when it comes to long-term performance evaluations.

Researchers studied the careers of 179 NBA head coaches over four decades.