There is a widely held belief that women are generally better than men at developing and maintaining relationships.
But many women seem unable to transfer those skills to the business world, where the same activity is commonly called "networking".
"Part of the cause is that women value authenticity in relationships," says Deborah Gillis, chief operating officer for Catalyst, a women's business research and advocacy group.
"Sometimes the notion of meeting someone and then looking to them for help, or advice, or contacts in business, often feels just a little uncomfortable. Men seem to do it much more naturally."
Experts have various explanations as to why this might be, but they are agreed on one important point - informal networks are critical to success, and more women need to learn how to benefit from them.
"Women need to think about networking as a business skill," says Ms Gillis. READ MORE
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