Mediaboss Marketing

JarinEisenberg, Your turn Published 1:48 a.m. ET May 27, 2020

As we all navigate this new normal, we are also looking for new ways to connect and reconnect with colleagues, friends, and family members. Our traditional means of networking has been disrupted, and the shift has left many of us feeling disconnected from the social groups we rely on to do business, to share information, to put a smile on our face after a hard day.

We are usedto thinking of networking as forming close-knit relationships, when we are in need of a resource or support, our natural inclination is to go to those closest to us, but many studies suggest that it is our weakest ties that hold the most value, and now is the time to strengthen them.

For decades, sociologists have studied the association between social groups, interpersonal relationships, and the value of social networks in regards to positive economic mobility and outcomes. The age-old saying, "It is not what you know, but who you know," speaks to the way we tug on these networks to gain access to resources, capital, and employment opportunities. It is often how we get our foot in the door.

In light of recent events, more and more researchers are stressing the importance of weak ties. Weak ties are acquaintances, they are low stakes relationships, they are not people who are in your immediate circle, but you likely have some shared history between you. Evidence suggests we are more likely to get a job through our weak ties than from those closest to us. It is often the relationships that we have invested in the leastthat have the biggest returns.

Weak ties expand our social circle. Too often the people closest to us all know each other, and the network becomes a redundant one. As we expand our social circle, we also expand our view of the world, are more likely to develop a greater sense of empathy for peoples lived experiences that are not like our own, and in doing so, we expand the reach we have. Expanding our social circles provides for more diverse ways we can gain access to a resource, an opportunity, and may itself provide us with a deeper sense of connection and community.

JarinEisenberg is chief operating officer of Groundswell Startups.(Photo: Provided)

Weak ties are not just for business relationships, but they are the casual relationships we have with baristas, bartenders, people who cut our hair, the people we know through the good work they do, but dont have an intimate relationship with. They make us feel more connected to our communities, provide a sense of place and attachment, and though we might be less comfortable asking them for something in a time of need, we shouldnt. Now is the time to reconnect and reinvest in those that feel the furthest from our networks.

During a time of rising unemployment, we have likely all seen examples of individuals in our networks posting on LinkedIn or other social platforms about losing a job. It can take a lot of guts to do so, but we shouldnt be afraid to do it. That person who is a friend of a friend who sees that post can make a valuable introduction, or provide a suggestion, or just connect you with others to see where it goes.

During my first week at Groundswell Startups, a business incubator in Melbourne,someone said something to me that really hit home. I was mentioning how I was new to the tech space and they saidstartups are all about social capital, it is all about facilitating connections to different resources, people, and funding to help companies gain access to the critical pieces they need to make the puzzle come together. I thought, yes, that I know how to do, that I understand.

We do this all the time at Groundswell Startups. We meet with companies and founders and just learn about their business, the resources they have and the resources they need, and then make many introductions. It doesnt matter if that company has a marketing person already on staff, we are still going to introduce you to the marketing expert we know that might be able to provide a little bit of guidance.

I think what makes our network so diverseis that everyone is willing to take the meeting, they are curious about what others do and how they do it, and each time they do so, they connect on LinkedIn, they grow their social network, their weak ties, and they have another rope to tug on when they are in need of something. So dont be afraid to reach out, reconnectand take that call or meeting. You never know where it may lead.

JarinEisenberg is chief operating officer of Groundswell Startups.

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COVID-19 reminds us of the importance of networking | Opinion - Florida Today