YOUR Network is YOUR Net Worth
Have you ever paused to consider the value of your network? As we go through our lives and career we meet a lot of people. Some of whom we hit it off with right away and become "fast friends"...others relationships take time to cultivate...and some we simply know with very little to no investment in time or energy. In rare cases... there are also people that are timeless... who no matter how infrequently you are able to get together over the years...each time you reconnect it is like no time has passed at all.
In my opinion, part of the magic in the fabric of our network comes from a few things...
how visible we are
who we are when we show up
the value we bring to the table
shared history
our energy
It's Also All About the 3 C's
Contacts
It is a fine "balance" between the breadth, depth, diversity and quality of your network versus simply the "number of people" you have in it. It is not a matter of "she who has the most contacts wins". Like most things...variety is the spice of life and who we "collect" along the way can not only say a lot about us but can give you access to some pretty amazing people. It's about building up the "right" contacts over time and maintaining a connection with them. For example; I did a couple of LinkedIn workshops this week and I came to the realization that based on who I have in my network...within two degrees of separation...I have access to over 720M people which is pretty cool! From that broad base of connections...within a couple of clicks using filters I can get it down to 8 people who might really be able to help.
Now...do I really touch that many people in my network or would it be a value add in all cases? I really don't know. Having said that...I have found that based on the
quality (people I know personally and who are influential in their industry)
diversity (different industries, backgrounds, stages of their career, levels in organizations and geographies)
generosity (they actively participate in our interactions, respond to my inquiries and are always willing to help)
of my network I have been able to do warm introductions and help others find people to connect with that they would not otherwise have been able to do. It is in those moments where I am elated and grateful for the network I have built. It took time... thoughtfulness... trail & error... and in some cases being bold to get there...it didn't happen over night. Consistency is key!
Content
As you are building your contacts... the next thing is to add value through the content you produce... post...recommend... or interact with. Unfortunately there is no formulae for how to do this and my learning is that it takes time to find your voice. Having said that... the key is to simply START!
I have a few guard rails that I have informally established over the years related to content:
If content "speaks to me", touches me, inspires me, challenges me or causes me to learn and grow I share it.
The content I create is written mainly for ME. It is what I am interested in... what I have learned... and what I wish someone else had shared with me. I always hope that someone else finds it helpful or inspiring. At the very least... maybe my network can learn something about ME that they didn't know before and gives us another opportunity to connect and further our relationship.
I spend time to "boost" the content of those in my network and to "give more than I get". I do so with an open heart and expecting nothing in return. It is to give visibility to those in my network so everyone can benefit from the amazing people I am humbled to know.
Embrace and share content from various places... mix it up as best you can. This goes not only for the WHERE you are finding your content but WHO you are getting it from. Don't just "manage up" and post content from those you are trying to impress in the hopes that they will notice you back. The most benefit and greatest content I have interacted with had nothing to do with the level or position of the author...it was just good content.
I try to do 25% company or industry related content and 75% on the things that inspire or interest me. My bias is that if you are too ALL IN on company content...products or services...your network will zone out and ignore you.
Context
Once you have built up your contacts and you have a handle on the content you are sharing....the final...and probably most important step is to put things into context for your network.
This is a step I find most people skip and they don't slow down or pause to be thoughtful about what they are sharing or how they are sharing it.
Here a few tips:
TAG TAG TAG. When posting... sharing or commenting be generous with tagging people in your network. It pays them the compliment and visibility to their connections as well as visibility to YOU with people you may not already know. It also helps put into perspective who should be paying attention to the content you are posting.
Use hashtags...but NOT too many. LinkedIn algorithms favor content that has hashtags but unlike Instagram or Twitter, they don't want you to use any more than 3-4 maximum. YOU can make good choices by doing your research on the hashtags prior to using them by typing them into the "search" and seeing how many people are following them or if there is a better suggestion from the drop down.
Summarize and Use a Picture. Take a minute or two to summarize "why" your network should take time to read the article, post or watch the video you are sharing. Of all the things they are scrolling past...why should they dig deeper into what you have posted. I often like to take my favorite quote or point from the content as a lead in. If you are sharing a link - most times there will be a picture associated with it. If not... be sure to use a picture so your post will be more "eye catching". I like to use unsplash.com.
Target YOUR Audience. With so much content out there you can't leave anything to chance and HOPE that the people you want to see it will see it. Leverage Direct Messages, InMail, Tags, or Hashtags to get really specific. It is also acceptable to reach out to key contacts and say..."hey...I just posted something that I think you and your network would enjoy...do me a favor and like, comment or share".
In Closing...
Like with most things in life...if everything is important...nothing is important. We'd all like to think that who we know feels like they REALLY know us too...that WE are a BIG Deal to them. That everything we post, share or interact with...everyone else will pay attention to. That when we post...everyone will have the same feeling or take action on it as we would like them to.
In reality we know that is not the case because WE too have the same challenges with contacts, content and context. There is a lot to keep up with but when someone we know and trust posts something that adds value or that they put into sharp focus for us on why we should care...it just makes it easier for everyone!
It is also true that "who we are at all times maters" and we are influencing and building our personal brand with our network even if we don't get the feedback or acknowledgment. I cannot tell you the number of times... in random interactions where someone in my network has said..."I read all YOUR stuff and love your posts. Keep doing it". It always catches me off guard as I had no idea of the impact I was making. But by being consistent...true to your content and putting things into context you are adding value...even on the days when you think NO ONE is paying attention. It is in those moments where we realize "our network is our net worth".
Leadership Questions of the Week for YOU:
When was the last time YOU reflected on the network you have built? Do you feel you have the right diversity, quality and number of connections?
Do YOU feel you are spending the right amount of time and effort nurturing your network? What are some things you could be doing more purposefully or differently to manage this precious resource?
What do YOU think of the 3 C's? Is there anything else you would add or change in our digital networking journey?
Which one of the 3 C's do you feel you don't spend enough time or consideration on? How can you create a plan to start to leverage it?
Thanks for reading….and remember…YOU make a difference!
Please continue the conversation by liking…commenting or sharing this article. You can also follow me on twitter marciedwhite or connect with me on LinkedIn.
