Q: I recently visited a networking
group, but I'm hesitant to join because it is mostly made up of
small-business owners and salespeople. I think it would be better
to join a networking group of business-to-business professionals
who I can relate to and who are looking for the same type of
contacts that I need. What is your opinion?
A: When it comes to business
networking, you never know who people know. One of the important
keys to being successful at building a powerful personal network is
that of diversity.
I've run a large business networking organization for the
past two decades. I often speak to people who tell me they want to
network exclusively with other business professionals who work with
clients in a similar socioeconomic target market-in other words,
they want to network with business professionals with similar
clients. Although it is good to include these people in your
personal network, any attempt to network with them exclusively
would be a tremendous mistake.
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It is human nature to congregate with people who are very much
like us. People tend to cluster together based on education, age,
race, professional status and more. The bottom line is that we tend
to hang out with people who have experiences or perspectives
similar to ours. Often, most of our friends and associates are
friends and associates with each other as well. The problem with
this is that when we surround ourselves with people who have
similar contacts, it may be difficult to make connections with new
people or the companies we desire to do business with.
A diverse personal network enables you to increase the
possibility of including connectors, or linchpins, in your network.
Linchpins are people who in some way cross over between two or more
clusters or groups of individuals. In effect, they have overlapping
interests or contacts that allow them to link groups of people
together easily.
When it comes to networking, diversity is key because it allows
us to locate these connectors between clusters of people. According
to Wayne Baker, author of the book Achieving Success Through Social
Capital, "Linchpins... are the gateways. They create
shortcuts across clumps" or groups of people.
The best way to increase the number of linchpins in your network
is to develop a diverse network, not a homogeneous one.
Having developed more than 3,000 networking groups in 16
countries around the world, I can categorically state that the
strongest networking groups I've seen are generally ones that
are diverse in many, many ways. The more diverse the network, the
more likely it will include overlapping connectors or linchpins
that link people together in ways they never would have
imagined.
One of the problems in understanding this concept is a somewhat
built-in bias that many people have about networking with
individuals that are outside their normal frame of reference. Let
me give you an example. A good friend of mine in Boston, Patti
Salvucci, recently told me an amazing story.
Salvucci runs dozens of networking groups for BNI (Business
Network International) in the Boston area. She told me about one of
the groups she was visiting recently that met in a private meeting
room at Fenway Park. She said that she arrived a little early to
the meeting and noticed an older gentleman setting up coffee mugs
in preparation for the meeting. Well, Salvucci is a master
networker, and so she struck up a conversation with the man while
waiting for members to arrive. In talking to him, she was really
taken by the amazing tenor of his voice. She mentioned to him that
he had an incredible voice and asked what he did before this. The
gentleman informed her that he used to be a commentator for CNN. He
went on to tell her that in his later years, he wanted to work in a
less-hectic job as well as live closer to his daughter. He decided
to take on the job of managing the owner's suite at Fenway Park
in Boston because it gave him an opportunity to be close to his
family while having a less-hectic career later in life.
Salvucci asked him about some of the people he met during his
time in broadcasting. He shared many great stories with her,
including an interview that he had done with JKF the week before he
was assassinated. He also talked about meeting Martin Luther King,
Jr. and Nelson Mandela. It was an interesting conversation that she
genuinely enjoyed.
Later, when the meeting was in full swing, one of the regular
members, Don, publicly mentioned that he would really like to do a
radio talk show someday and was looking for some contacts that
could help him pursue this dream.
"Do you see that guy over there?" Salvucci asked,
pointing to the ex-CNN commentator. "Have you seen him
before?"
"Yeah," said Don. "He's the guy who sets up
the coffee for our meeting."
"Did you know that he used to be a broadcaster for
CNN?" Salvucci asked.
Don said, "Wow, I had no idea."
Salvucci suggested that Don introduce himself and learn a little
more about the man he'd seen every week for several months.
After all, he just might be able to make a connection for Don in
the broadcasting industry.
The irony in this story is that he had seen the man on many
occasions but had not struck up a conversation with him because he
felt they had little, if anything, in common. The truth is, when it
comes to networking, not having a lot in common with someone means
that person could be a connector for you to a whole world of people
that you might not otherwise be able to meet.
Some of the strongest networking groups I've seen over the
past two decades are ones that are diverse in many ways. They have
a good mix of members based not only on race and gender, but also
on profession, age, education and experience. The more diverse your
network, the more likely you are to make overlapping linkages
between clusters of people. The more linkages you can make between
clusters of people, the stronger your network can be.
If you wish to build a powerful personal network, branch out.
Build a diverse network of professional contacts that includes
people that don't look like you, sound like you, speak like you
or have your background, education or history. The only thing they
should have in common with you and the other people in your network
is that they should be really good at what they do. Create a
personal network like that, and you'll have a network that can
help you succeed at anything.
Ivan Misner is the founder and CEO of Business Network
International (BNI), which has more than 2,700 chapters
throughout the world. He is also the author of five books,
including his New York Times bestseller, Masters of
Networking, as well as Entrepreneur Press' forthcoming
Masters
of Success.
The opinions expressed in this column are
those of the author, not of Entrepreneur.com. All answers are
intended to be general in nature, without regard to specific
geographical areas or circumstances, and should only be relied upon
after consulting an appropriate expert, such as an attorney or
accountant.