If you are in a place where you don’t have friends, I hope that you are looking for a new job because you are in a toxic, stressful environment. Bottom line, you wouldn’t be reading this chapter if you had no friends at work! A more relevant question is, “What is a real friend at work?” The answer can be found in Chapter 3. Your colleagues offer you remarkable breadth and depth of experience. Individually, they are your “go-to people” for organizational information and know-how.
Your current circle is likely to be one person removed from the resources or information 
that you need. As a result of this proximity, you will have access; you will be able to use your influence to get things done. Once mobilized, these connections will accelerate your ability to get your arms around the scope of any task. Because your trusted friends and allies have your back, you can step out of your comfort zone with confidence.
Just remember to differentiate between true friends and business acquaintances and, as always, use your common sense when discussing tough or personal issues if your work colleagues don’t spill over into other areas of your life. If you have drawn the boundary around some conversations, you have probably made a decision about trust—bottom line: they aren’t real friends. Stick to a more formal and less open relationship.
Managers know the following:
FROM CHAPTER 13: Am I Networking Effectively?