Episode 162
Why Networking Clusters Are the Key to Your Success
What if I told you that one of the most accurate predictors of business success is whether or not your network is an open network or a closed one.
Interested? Listen in to learn how to structure your network into open clusters for maximum success!
Drink of the day: Cluster Fuck
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Julie Brown:
Transcript
Way, way, way back in the beginning of this podcast, like episode two, as a
Speaker:matter of fact, I did an episode titled how to analyze your network and it
Speaker:was all about your networking circles.
Speaker:And now everyone, you know, is part of your network.
Speaker:And those people will fall into one of those circles.
Speaker:One of those four circles.
Speaker:Now I'm taking it a bit further and re-examining the
Speaker:entire networking paradigm.
Speaker:Welcome to episode 1 62 of the shit works, a podcast dedicated to all
Speaker:things, networking, relationship building and business development.
Speaker:I'm your host, Julie Brown.
Speaker:Speaker author and networking coach.
Speaker:And today I am discussing why structuring your network into
Speaker:clusters is the key to success.
Speaker:Over the past year I've been taking my signature 60 minute keynote and breaking
Speaker:it down into four deep dive workshops.
Speaker:One of the first tracks of the workshop is all about the size
Speaker:and strength of your network.
Speaker:The research for this deep dive, led me into the findings by the
Speaker:eminent network scientist, Ron Burt.
Speaker:Which can be boiled down to a simple fact.
Speaker:Being in an open network.
Speaker:One in which you are the connection point between network clusters
Speaker:is one of the most accurate predictors of business success.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:So what does that mean?
Speaker:Let's break it down a little bit.
Speaker:What is an open network and what are clusters?
Speaker:So the more antiquated way of looking at a network is that it is a business
Speaker:activity and that our network is all of the people we interact with within
Speaker:the business or industry that we serve.
Speaker:So you can see how this would be a closed network.
Speaker:Most of the people in this network know each other, and there isn't
Speaker:a lot of outside thoughts and ideas permeating this network.
Speaker:Because it's all structured around the work where the industry.
Speaker:This is why, when I had originally asked you to analyze your network back
Speaker:in episode two, I asked you to make a list of every single person you knew.
Speaker:From family, to friends, to neighbors, to alumni networks, to industry
Speaker:connections and so on and so on.
Speaker:Because I want you to think of all of these people as your network.
Speaker:And it seems like I was spot on, but this study takes it a step further and
Speaker:asks you to think about all of those people as smaller cluster networks,
Speaker:which don't necessarily overlap.
Speaker:Here's what I mean by that.
Speaker:If I was going to look at my network clusters, there would be my architecture
Speaker:and construction industry cluster.
Speaker:There would be my professional speaking industry cluster.
Speaker:There would be my neighborhood friends cluster.
Speaker:There would be my skiing friends cluster.
Speaker:There would be my college alumni cluster.
Speaker:And so on now.
Speaker:There may be some overlap with these clusters, but most of them
Speaker:are independent of each other.
Speaker:And this is important for two reasons.
Speaker:One, because in an open network with a lot of clusters, You're more
Speaker:likely to be exposed to new ideas.
Speaker:Second.
Speaker:When your clusters aren't connected, you have the ability to be a
Speaker:connector of people and thoughts between disparate clusters.
Speaker:And this is important.
Speaker:According to multiple peer reviewed studies, simply being in an open
Speaker:network instead of a closed one.
Speaker:Is the best predictor of career success.
Speaker:I'm going to say that again.
Speaker:Simply being in an open network instead of a closed one is the
Speaker:best predictor of career success.
Speaker:In fact, the study shows that half of the predicted difference in career success.
Speaker:For example, promotions, compensation, industry recognition is due to this one.
Speaker:Variable.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker:We spend so much of our time wondering how to be more successful, to make more money,
Speaker:to have greater industry recognition.
Speaker:When one of the answers is right in front of us.
Speaker:Create a large open network in which you are exposed to new ideas and new people
Speaker:and have the opportunity to be a connector of people and thoughts between them.
Speaker:You might be asking, how is it possible that the structure of one's
Speaker:network could be such a powerful predictor for career success?
Speaker:Well, the research by Philip Tetlock shows that people with open
Speaker:networks are better forecasters than people with closed networks.
Speaker:So please.
Speaker:Whatever industry you are in.
Speaker:Those connections are important.
Speaker:100%.
Speaker:But consider them just one of many clusters that you can create and then
Speaker:share information and connections between.
Speaker:If the studies are correct, simply opening up your network will help you succeed.
Speaker:So.
Speaker:Take a moment to think about your clusters.
Speaker:How many do you have?
Speaker:Could you add more?
Speaker:And then could you be a broker of information and connections between them?
Speaker:I think you can.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Onto the drink of the week, which man I have missed doing these.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:But maybe not this one, this week's cocktail is.
Speaker:This week's cocktail is called the cluster.
Speaker:Fuck.
Speaker:Get it.
Speaker:Cluster.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Maybe if you don't start making clusters in and you're at work,
Speaker:you just might get fucked.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:It's a stretch.
Speaker:I know, but it had the word cluster in it.
Speaker:So go with B.
Speaker:But don't actually make this cocktail cause this fucking terrible.
Speaker:If you want to make it, here's what you're going to need.
Speaker:Oh, half an ounce.
Speaker:Half an ounce of bourbon, a half an ounce of tequila.
Speaker:I half an ounce of light rum.
Speaker:I half an ounce of vodka, a half an ounce of butter.
Speaker:SCUP purse, scotch.
Speaker:Knox who even has that in their bar.
Speaker:One ounce of apple shops.
Speaker:I mean, who has that?
Speaker:And a half ounce of Tennessee whiskey or just regular whiskey.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:Pour the Tennessee whiskey.
Speaker:The.
Speaker:The bourbon that tequila, the rum and vodka into a cocktail shaker,
Speaker:half filled with ice cubes, shake Whelan straight into a highball glass,
Speaker:and then add the butterscotch and apples notch to the top and serve.
Speaker:Okay.
Speaker:It's like, it's like the Southern version of a long island ice tea, I think,
Speaker:but I don't exactly know where the butterscotch and apple comes in anyways.
Speaker:Yeah, I a hundred percent agree if you drink.
Speaker:These you and everyone in your cluster will probably be fucked.
Speaker:All right, friends.
Speaker:That's all for this week.
Speaker:Aren't you so glad we're back to the drinks of the week.
Speaker:Um, if you like what you heard today, please leave a review
Speaker:and subscribe to the podcast.
Speaker:Also, please remember to share the podcast to help it reach a larger
Speaker:audience as super, super important.
Speaker:If you want more, Julie Brown, you can find my book.
Speaker:This shit works on Amazon or Barnes and noble.
Speaker:You can find me on LinkedIn at Julie Brown BD.
Speaker:Just let me know where you found me when you reach out.
Speaker:I am Julie Brown underscore BD on Instagram, or you can just
Speaker:pop on over to my website, Julie Brown, bd.com until next week.
