347: The Power of Weak Connections, with David Burkus

David Burkus: Friend of a Friend

David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought-after speaker, and an associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University. His TED talk has been viewed over 1.8 million times, he is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, and he’s now listed on Thinkers50. He’s just released his new book, Friend of a Friend*.

Key Points

• Networking should not just be about meeting total strangers.
• Constantly providing value to your network doesn’t mean you have to be close friends with everyone.
• It’s impossible to maintain close ties with everyone in your network.
• Don’t just rely on close connections, because they’re likely in the same circles as you.
• Weak ties are more likely to provide valuable information.
• When networking, it’s fine to start with your close connections to warm up, but you can’t stop there.
• Don’t let your connections get too dormant — regularly engage with them.
• Follow people on social media to know what’s going on in their lives, and then send them a personal message.
• Make your inner circle diverse to be sure you’re getting the wide-ranging insight you need.
• A diverse network will give you information you wouldn’t otherwise have.

Resources Mentioned

• Friend of a Friend* by David Burkus
• How To Give and Get The Introductions That Will Transform Your Life and Your Career

Book Notes

Download my highlights from Friend of a Friend in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

• How Superbosses Master the Flow of Talent, with Sydney Finkelstein (episode 236)
• New Management Practices of Leading Organizations, with David Burkus (episode 253)
• How to Deal With the Diminishers, with Liz Wiseman (episode 305)

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