Globalization, digitization, emerging technologies, and shifting demographics are all working together to create a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) business environment. Alongside other such workplace disruptors, employers and employees, alike, can easily find themselves struggling to remain competitive.
One way of mediating the situation is to constantly engage in personal development, keeping yourself up-to-date on the latest trends, and looking to learn new skills. Another way is to learn how to leverage weak ties and generate new ideas and opportunities as a result.
What are the benefits of weak ties?
Weak ties offer several benefits, including making it easier to find a job, increasing happiness at work, and leading to higher income. Our network of connections typically consists of people we know personally and professionally, generally divided into strong ties (close friends, family) and loose or weak ties (old friends, acquaintances, social media contacts). Loose ties are also more objective and less personally invested in our careers, often holding the knowledge and resources to minimize risks and turn them into realizations, unlike close-tie contacts who might deter risk-taking. You can turn your weak-tie network into an opportunity-generating powerhouse by introducing you to the right people and ideas. Expand your network to include people of different ages, genders, backgrounds, and experiences, balancing time between online and offline networking.
It was shown that people who reach out to weak ties tend to find a job easier, be happier at work, and earn a higher income. Loose ties are also more objective and less personally invested in our careers. Close-tie contacts, such as close friends and family, will tend to stop us from taking risks. Loose ties, however, may hold the knowledge and resources to minimize those risks and turn them into realizations.
You can turn your weak-tie network into an opportunity-generating powerhouse by introducing you to the right people and ideas. But don’t limit yourself to people similar to you. Expand your network to include people of different ages, genders, backgrounds, and experiences. Look to balance your time between online and offline networking.
How to Build and Leverage Your Loose-Tie Connections
There are two effective ways of building and leveraging your network of weak ties. You can build your network one person at a time by getting to know them individually, or you can bridge together different contacts within your own network.
How can you build your weak-tie network?
Those that tend to develop their network of weak ties will first determine their own needs and priorities. They will decide which groups, activities, and events will benefit them most and work from there. Some builders will develop their networks slowly, one person at a time.
Others tend to take a broader approach and focus their efforts on constant interaction within a larger pool of contacts. Whatever the case, building a network will take work. And once a relationship is established, it needs to be nourished over time. Otherwise, all prior efforts would have been for nothing.
How can you bridge connections in your weak-tie network?
While extroverts tend to serve as brokers or matchmakers, introverts can also use this tactic. Basically, you are building goodwill by linking people together for their mutual benefit. Everyone you help can potentially help you in the future.
Whether it’s by attending professional gatherings, going to company-sponsored events, business lunches, get-togethers, or other such activities, you will need to work on leveraging your weak-tie network by building, bridging, or a combination of both.
Do you have your own style of uncovering opportunities from your network? I am always looking for examples and case studies. I would welcome a brief conversation with you. Let’s connect on https://go.oncehub.com/GregNichvalodoff or greg@inscapeconsulting.com.
