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Truth 19. You Have More Connections to More People than you
Think
Stanley Milgram, a researcher at Yale University, conducted
several unusual experiments in the 1960s. One project
involved selecting an obscure name in a distant US state and
then asking nearly three hundred students to work at finding
this person’s contact information. He found that the
greatest number of people that his students had to contact
to reach anyone, anywhere in the country, was six. Although
Dr. Milgram’s theory has yet to be scientifically proven,
its message has made headway into popular culture. It is now
often said that there are only “six degrees of separation”
between each of us and most anyone in the world. What a
fabulous resource we have!
So, how can you use that resource in the workplace? It’s no
exaggeration to say that through all your potential
connections you can learn about or accomplish most anything.
Someone out there will know what you need to know, or be
able to help you with what you need to do. If you want to
find the best person for a project, or get support for a
workplace initiative, to name just two possibilities, and
you don’t already know someone who can help you, then the
first thing to do is to start putting your feelers out.
One high level executive wanted to meet some influential
people in government in Washington D.C. to get support for
legislation that his company sorely needed. So the executive
mapped all the people he knew in his company, and then asked
these associates to make a map of their direct and indirect
connections with people in the government. Next, he asked
for introductions to some of these connections to consult
with them directly. He quickly found the right people to
network with to obtain the required introductions.
The place to start is with your existing network. This
consists of all the professional colleagues whom you feel
able to approach with a question or issue. It may be a small
group of like-minded people whom you have known over the
years, ranging from college classmates and professors to
former colleagues. You can rely on people with whom you have
a good relationship to introduce you to others whom they
trust and respect.
Once you have the contact, accessing information and advice,
or exerting influence, is easier than ever with the
internet. The speed and ease of forwarding make it an ideal
way to reach people anywhere in the world. Be aware however
that when someone is further away from you, personally or
geographically, you may need a put a “frame,” or
explanation, around your request to help others understand
your thinking. You may also need to be more formal in tone.
Be sure to check on the communication and networking
protocol of other countries.
One savvy American executive wanted to hire a general
manager to run his company’s Chinese business. His first
step was to ask everyone he knew in Beijing, Shanghai and
Hong Kong to suggest candidates. He then checked their
suggestions with head-hunters. Having tracked down the ideal
person, the American then used his newly extended Chinese
network to work on convincing the desired executive that the
position was right for him. Impressed by the offer and the
American’s guanxi, or connections, the Chinese executive
took the job.
There are many examples of how using the six degrees of
separation rule can help you make things happen. Connections
are endlessly useful at work, and absolutely essential in
some cultures. Using them is not just about accessing facts,
knowledge or staff. People with different backgrounds or
experiences can also help you think through your work or
ideas, by offering you alternative perspectives. Such
touchstones are invaluable. |
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