Networking This Page
Networking This PageThe book "The Virtual Handshake" by David Teten and Scott Allen is a masterpiece of reason and logic, with a strong leaning towards "How to do it." The book is available from Amazon and soon from bookstores everywhere. Below I outline the logic of networking and I point to several seminars that will give participants many reasons for extending their online life into both formal networks and to social/business networks.
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If you are not involved in any network, you are not a member, so networking is not about you or anyone you know. To change that you need to understand theories for relationship building, of community membership, some learning theory and how to develop trust.
When we first began to make extensive use of online tools, people worried that the "digital divide" would make the rich world even richer and leave everyone else behind. We imagined the "digital divide" to be about the access to hardware and software, to telephone lines and reliable power supplies.
In recent years we have seen a different "digital divide" between those with the confidence to join other groups and to play an active part in what they do, and those who show no interest in what other people are doing. This self imposed divide should concern us. Why are some people highly interested and others totally disinterested. Below I argue that the difference is caused by personal differences or psychological types.
In 1986 I came across this quote which was written in the Journal of Waldo Salt, American film-maker, in large letters across one page. "To search for the truth, you must first have lost it." Losing Truth is to recognise that you are no longer sure that you have all the answers to life's problems. At some time in your life you will recognise the value of being more connected to other people. Of course they are just as likely to be as confused as you are. There is both wisdom and foolishness in crowds. But there is a group process that tends, over time, to clear confusion, to identify reality and to work toward sensible understanding.
There may be no question more important than to rethink the whole idea of who is (and who can be) one of your contacts. It's recommended that you build a wide base of weak contacts from many countries and professions. A world divided between "us" and "them" is a dangerous place. From these weak contacts a good number of strong contacts will slowly evolve.
In very large cities people don't particularly want to meet and have a beer with their contacts. Far more important is to know that your contacts are available if you need them. If you have a good reputation your name will be readily added to other people's lists.
One of the essential investments in any business is the money required to get it started, generally called "the capital". However, there are other sorts of capital, particularly Social Capital and Intellectual Capital. To some extent these forms of capital are interchangeable.
Online it's possible to build that part of social capital that's commonly called "relationship capital". It's also possible if you choose to widen and deepen your intellectual knowledge, and to join groups of specialists in the pursuit of new knowledge.
This can be argued in many ways, but a simple way to think about it is provided by Farrell and Rosenberg. Farrell and Rosenberg say that human beings fall fairly neatly into four types that they label, Angry and Disillusioned, Falsely Developed, Isolated and Dreaming, and Overcoming and Growing.
With regard to joining others on the Internet in social networks and listservs each of those groups has different responses and opportunities.
Angry and Disillusioned: This sort of person is unlikely to be online. If they are online they cause trouble wherever they go. They develop even more entrenched views online and they establish positions which make learning anything from the experience unlikely.
Unlikely Networker
Unlikely to learn from the networking process.
Unlikely to make many friends.
Falsely Developed: This sort of person who sees no personal need to be online. They are already "successful" in their own eyes. They may have lots of energy and confidence and a great deal to contribute online, but they are unlikely to see that as important. This stance may be regretted later. Most people sooner or later run into a wall or a business reversal. When that happens a well developed network may be just what one needs.
Unlikely but possible Networker
Will develop lots of contacts easily. Very confident.
Unlikely to learn much. Too committed to one's own ideas.
Isolated and Dreaming: This sort of person is likely to be online. They plan a lot and think a lot, but they tend to do too little. They may be very well educated but lack social contacts. Online these people stand to enlarge their social connections and they may find the partners with a different skill set (entrepreneurial) that they need to make the best use of their own training and planning ability.
Likely to be an ineffective networker
Likely to gain a lot of knowledge from the networking process.
Probably doesn't develop enough good relationships.
Overcoming and Growing: This group is also likely to be online. They are more rounded as individuals, confident enough to be successful in their own ventures, but actively seeking to work with other people in both formal and informal ways. These people will build a substantial number of strong links to significant contacts. They are also able to learn a great deal from information exchange with those contacts.
Likely to be an effective networker
Building both many contacts and substantial knowledge.
I can't tell which of the above groups you imagine yourself to be in, and it doesn't matter much for two reasons. One; that people are very poor judges of their own classification, and two; over time many individuals shift from one group to another in response to life's challenges. What does matter is that everyone can benefit from building online relationships but the interest to do or not do that is driven by the motivations of the individual concerned. You are the key to your own future, online or offline. Opportunity exists in networking. The ability to see that or to ignore it lies entirely in the decision maker. I hope you can see it for yourself.
The Common, was the public land, unfenced, where any person could run sheep or goats or keep a cow. The common was the means of survival and livelihood for the poor in the community. I've argued for many years that a modern state with free education, health care and social welfare is re-creating a common. Enlarging the common is generally good for society. One of the greatest enlargements of the common in recent times is the development of the Internet. One of the key groups online are people who are skilled but in part-time work or are under-employed. They are using the online common to enlarge their capital base and their knowledge base. They hope to discover alternative and better ways to earn an income.
All learning is social. Whatever I choose to see as being important, what I can know, and what I choose not to know, is influenced by people and organisation I choose to recognise as "like me". I recognise the groups in which I have a social position, where I have "membership". Each membership gives me access to a members common. The value of membership lies in the rights and privileges and sharing that occurs between members. There is generosity towards members because being helpful builds one's reputation and expertise.
On the other hand, if I choose to adopt certain principles that are contrary to the values of the group, my status as a member may be threatened. Social control is usually unseen but very powerful.
The process of dealing with people online develops your confidence in yourself, and gives you knowledge from other people's domains. It's impossible to tell how that will affect your life, but it must have the general effect of expanding your options.
There is a story in Hindu mythology, The Mahabharata which tells the story of birth and growing up, of who we are and what we believe, of the battles we fought and the principles we live by. An actor on the BBC talking to a youth about The Mahabharata says, "If you listen carefully you will become a different person."
There is a conversation on the Internet that is exactly like that. If you participate and listen carefully your future will become clear to you. That is the promise of networking.
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