Network Potential

Throughout this series we have discussed the value of relationships, why they naturally decay, the cost of neglecting them, and how dormant relationships can often be revived.

This final article explores a different idea: network potential.

Before we begin, I should acknowledge that this topic can feel uncomfortable.

When discussing network potential, we are temporarily looking at people from the standpoint of what they know, who they know, and how they might contribute.

That does not diminish their value as people. It simply recognizes that networks exist for reasons, and those reasons influence how different relationships contribute.

A network is not merely a collection of people. A network is a collection of people connected around a purpose.

Purpose Creates Potential

Think about the different networks in your life.

Family. Friends. Neighbors. Professional contacts. Customers.

People from hobbies, volunteer organizations, or faith communities.

Each network serves a different purpose. You may never have thought about it this way, but it is true.

I didn’t think this way when I started building my business network decades ago. There was no one to coach me. My network just grew naturally, and that was okay, but I wasn’t intentional and I didn’t maintain it.

I let important contacts go that I wished I had later in my career. My network was bigger than it needed to be, but it had no clear purpose. I wasn’t intentional. It just happened.

You have me to help you, though.

Your network might be formed around your favorite sports team. You would want fans as members. A local sports reporter, team physician, and local team sponsors would also make great members.

A professional network would be better suited for career advice, mentorship, industry knowledge, and business opportunities.

Neither network is better than the other. They simply have different purposes.

Potential comes from how well the people in a network align with its purpose.

Not Every Relationship Belongs in Every Network

One of the mistakes people make is treating all relationships the same. They aren’t.

A person who brings tremendous value to one network may bring little value to another.

A former coworker may be an excellent source of industry knowledge. A neighbor may know everything about local schools and community events. A longtime friend may provide emotional support and honest advice.

Each relationship contributes differently.

The question is not whether someone is valuable. People are valuable regardless.

The question is whether they contribute to the purpose of this particular network.

If so, they belong.

If not, they may belong in a different network.

The Right People, Not More People

Many discussions about networking focus on growth.

Meet more people. Attend more events. Collect more contacts. I spent years thinking this way myself.

Looking back, I am not sure network potential is primarily about size.

It is about alignment.

Does your network contain people who can help fulfill its purpose?

Does it contain people with different experiences and perspectives?

Does it contain people who challenge your thinking?

Does it contain people who know things you do not know?

Does it contain people who know people you do not know?

The uniting factor is purpose. That purpose should matter to YOU.

Purpose creates alignment. Alignment creates potential.

Potential Changes Over Time

One of the fascinating things about networks is that their potential is never fixed.

People change jobs.

Develop new skills.

Move into leadership positions.

Start businesses.

Build new relationships.

Expand their own networks.

A person who seemed less relevant to your professional network five years ago may now be one of its most valuable members.

Network potential changes because people change.

This is one reason maintaining relationships can be so valuable.

You cannot always predict where future opportunities will come from.

I see this in my own network. Initially, most of my network consisted of fellow engineers. As it grew, my network expanded as I was introduced to new people. I didn’t notice it at the time, but many of my contacts were taking on new leadership positions as well.

The same people I once knew as engineers became managers, directors, executives, business owners, and industry leaders.

My network grew significantly simply because I stayed connected while they continued growing in their own careers.

Looking at Your Network Differently

Occasionally, it is worth stepping back and looking at your network with fresh eyes.

What is the purpose of this network?

Who contributes to that purpose?

What perspectives are missing?

What expertise is missing?

What relationships have become dormant?

Who should I know better?

The answers may reveal opportunities that were hiding in plain sight.

The Real Potential

Are you familiar with “The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?”

Kevin Bacon is an actor and musician who is famously connected to many people in Hollywood. There is a popular idea that everyone is connected to Kevin Bacon through six or fewer relationships.

Whether that is actually true is less important than the lesson it illustrates: networks can have tremendous reach through the connections between people.

The real potential of a network is not found in any single person, unless it’s Kevin Bacon. Just kidding.

The potential comes from the connections between people.

A conversation. An introduction. A shared idea. A recommendation. A lesson learned. A problem solved.

These things happen when the right people are connected around the right purpose.

The goal is not to know everyone. The goal is to intentionally cultivate relationships that support the communities, goals, and purposes that matter most to you.

You can create a network—or several networks—for different purposes in your life.

A network of friends. A professional network. A network built around a hobby, a cause, or a community.

Each can serve a different purpose.

Over time, the connections within those networks can create knowledge, opportunities, introductions, support, and friendships that would be difficult to create alone.

That is the true potential of a network.

I want to end this series with a story.

Young people in my company would often approach me to ask about my network. It was very active and extensive at the time. My response was always something like, “Keep at it. Meet people and try to stay in touch.”

That was all I could tell them.

For me, writing these blogs about people networks has been enjoyable. It caused me to look back over the years for ideas to share.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you be better at this than I was.

If you do nothing else, keep at it and try to stay in touch with people.

That’s still the best advice I know.