In a furious effort to win the networking game, we associate ourselves with with various networking groups, we "never eat alone," and we accept LinkedIn invitations from people we barely know. We feel justified in these time-consuming endeavors whenever we can attribute a new client to them, but they require a lot of our time and are generally less productive than a single conversation with a connector. If you've read Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, you know that a connector is someone who is influential in their community. They have the clout to make things happen among their many contacts. They may be a referral source or a community leader.
I'm friendly with several of the connectors in my network, but lately I've spent an inordinate amount of my time meeting new acquaintances with no track record for influence. That's not to say that getting to know them is a poor use of networking time, but it is foolish to become so preoccupied with new possibilities that we neglect our proven connectors.
Often, I've convinced myself that "my connectors are too busy." After all, why would they want another meeting with me? But when I take a closer look at my thinking, I realize that I'm selling myself short. Besides, if they're going to reject my invitation, I should give them the courtesy of doing so instead of doing it for them.
So, today I urge you to make a list of just one or two people who have demonstrated that they can help you achieve your goals. If you haven't seen them in three months, it's time to clear out that lunch you've scheduled with John Doe next week and reconnect with a proven connector.
