BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Three Steps To Maximize The Strength Of Your Network

Following
This article is more than 5 years old.

storyblocks

Food. Sleep. Shelter. Warmth. All humans have basic needs. Relationships are another one of our most important needs. There’s a reason relationships are located higher than our biological and physiological needs—food, water, and the like—on Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs

We need relationships. Virtually all of our opportunities for career advancement and impact are defined by the strength of our network. Our network is akin to our muscular system. It must be exercised and given appropriate attention. By maximizing the strength of our network, we can transform our level of impact, realize new personal and professional advancement opportunities, and climb and surmount Maslow’s famous Hierarchy.  Here are three steps that I’ve found very effective in maximizing the strength of my networking. 

Bridging silos

When we look at our network, we tend to be laser-focused on our first degree connections—those people we have a direct relationship with. We don’t often take the time to evaluate our second, third, and higher degree connections—let alone draw associations between and among them. 

The most effective networkers are skilled in managing the “white space” in their networks.  They identify silos and build bridges. They look for connections between different industries, different interests, and different areas of expertise. They see insularity and find opportunities in the "white space". Though it might be more familiar and comfortable to interact only with their direct connections who they know well, highly effective networkers build bridges between silos. And they realize an enormous benefit by doing so, especially in the workplace. Research by Babson College's Robert Cross has revealed that people who bridge subgroups are significantly more likely to be in the top 20% of their organizations, as measured by performance reviews. They also tend to be promoted more readily, boast greater mobility in their career, and are more effective at adapting to changing environments.

Measuring value 

We live data rich lives. We measure our daily step count, our life expectancy, our IQ, our sales growth, our customer satisfaction, our customer acquisition costs, and the return on investment of every campaign we launch. We measure virtually everything except our network strength. Most of us don’t know how much value we derive from each member of our network. We’re sitting on a huge unharvested opportunity.

It’s impossible to maintain strong connections to every person in our network. Esteemed psychologist Robin Dunbar of Oxford University discovered decades ago that the human brain is only able to maintain about 150 relationships. By understanding how valuable each member of our network is, we can determine where we should invest our efforts in strengthening relationships. 

There are countless ways we can measure the strength of our network. We can measure the number of warm introductions each member of our network has facilitated. We can measure how many sales each has driven to our business. We can estimate how much benefit we've derived from each mentoring us. We can measure how valuable a brainstorming partner each one is. 

It’s dangerous to assume that each of our connections is equally valuable. They differ markedly. Research spearheaded by Cross has revealed that between 3% and 5% of the people in your network account for between 20% to 35% of the value added ties—the collaborations that generate sales, efficiency gains, key innovations, or other forms of value. Take a second to think about that. By focusing only on no more than 5% of your network connection—those that offer the most value—you can capitalize on up to 35% of the value-added ties. The key is to know which of your connections offer the most value. Map out your network, take notes, and start to track the variables important to you. Artificial intelligence can come to the rescue by sifting through millions of data points and deriving a value score for each member of your network.   

Identifying energizers and de-energizers 

While it’s important to assess the members of our network according to their performance, this does not reveal their full value. An often-overlooked factor is the level of energy emitted by each member of your network. Though it is often situation dependent, we can generally be bucketed into three categories—energizers, neutral individuals, and de-energizers. 

Energizers generate energy around them. They aren’t necessarily overtly charismatic. They aren’t necessary extraverted or the life of the party.  But they bring out the best in people. They motivate, engage, and inspire. When they’re in a group, they are more likely to engage others so that they commit their undivided focus to the group effort, in turn making for a more successful outcome. People connected to energizers are more likely to rally on their behalf, do them favors, and move waters to see them successful. 

Energizers aren't just nice-to-haves. They are need-to-haves. Energizers are incredibly valuable to your network. Specifically, research by Cross, Wayne Baker of the University of Michigan, and Andrew Parker of IBM’s Institute for Knowledge-Based Organizations found that when energizers exist in a network, they are a strong predictor of success over time.

We spend hours flexing our physical muscles each day. We spend hours listening to podcasts, reading the news, and enrolling in learning opportunities to flex our cognitive muscles. But we don’t devote the same level of care to one of our most critical muscle groups—our network. The leaders of tomorrow will devote the time and attention required to maximize the strength of their network. When it comes to career success, I’ve learned that few things are more important or impactful. 

 

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out my website