Random musings: A Better Way to Network

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

A Better Way to Network

This post is the 2nd of two parts on networking, be sure to check out the first part here. Today's blog post is based on a podcast from The Art of Manliness.

The podcast interviews David Burkus, the author of "Friend of a Friend". One of the first things that David discusses is weak ties, which is something that I've written about, and dormant ties which were strong ties that may have weakened over time or distance...such as a former college roommate or friends from the military. I actually work with one of my friends from the military but I've also lost touch with some that even though we work for the same company, we're not in the same office anymore.

Where can you find weak ties? They're all around us...anybody that you've ever met but you don't interact with on a regular basis is a weak tie. An excellent source of weak ties is Facebook. Most of your FB friends can be considered weak ties. And many of those could also be dormant ties...someone who was once close to you but now you're only Facebook friends.

Here are some of the topics discussed in the podcast:

The common approach people take towards networking
Why traditional networking methods don’t work
How David’s “friend of a friend” approach to networking flips that old model on its head
Recognizing the networks you already have
What are weak and dormant ties? Why are they more powerful than strong ties?
Managing your weak and dormant ties in order to keep them alive
How to find the structural holes in your network
Why “silos” are important
What extroverts and introverts can learn from each other in regards to networking
What makes for a “super connector”
How do you manage your network once it starts to grow?
Why managing your relationships needs to be intentional
How to cultivate a diverse network
The idea of multiplexity in our networks — why our connections can be relevant in multiple contexts and facets
The perhaps funny idea that should be the guiding principle of networking
The “Don’t Believe the Hype” Principle