BECAUSE I CAN: Understanding the Networking Revolution

Because I Can with Adam J. Kovitz

“There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Several years ago I predicted a major networking revolution and started a publication about it (you may have heard of it…wink, wink). The networking revolution happened, it’s here and it continues to revolutionize. Nonetheless, what I find ironic is how from time to time I still need to defend the term “networking” despite the fact that it is commonly accepted that one must network to find business, information, jobs, etc., yet most people don’t understand the true nature of networking. Metaphorically, I feel like we as a society spend too much time driving the car without really understanding how it works.

So at risk of my own sanity, my relationship with my wife as well as my partnership with Douglas Castle (who does not care for the word “networking”), I will attempt to “get under the hood” of this jalopy we call “networking” and make sense of it. I will try to do it in a way that is easily understandable – this month I’m leaving the mathematical formulas off to the side.

Why am I doing this?

Because I just can’t shake the feeling that besides getting more business, information and jobs, there is something vast, mysterious and wonderful to this networking thing that is significant, and also…

…because I can!

The Origins of “Networking”

Since Eve first met Adam (distant relative) people have been looking for ways to find business, exchange information, get their next job. They never called it “networking”, though. They would use terms like “talking”, “conversing”, “rapping” or simply “communicating”. So where did the word networking come from?

In 1930’s Jacob Moreno, a psychologist, conducted a study on a group of elementary school students and their interactions. Moreno represented the relationships in what he called a “sociogram”, which depicted a networking structure of a social system, which caused enough interest to be published in the New York Times.

Eventually the term “networking” came to be used in both telecommunications and computing. One communications device on its own is practically useless, but several arranged in a network have increased utility. In 1980, Metcalfe’s Law attempted to mathematically demonstrate this.

It was also around this time that business networking organizations like Ali Lassen’s Leads Clubs (now known as Leads Clubs International), LeTip International and eventually BNI would make the connection that human beings are the most sophisticated computers and communications devices that we know of and that they are capable of being organized into a social structure for the purposes of developing business through cooperative means. This concept became known as business networking.

The growth and popularization of the internet and World Wide Web further revolutionized networking. What had first started as bulletin boards grew into email, blogs and social media thereby giving people the means to develop relationships all over the world. But the implications of this are what astound me.

Theoretical Considerations

Before we get to the implications, we present a major academic obstacle of networking. Despite the fact that networking is important and is the basis for the way we conduct business, solve problems and accomplish goals, why aren’t we studying it more? The answer is that we are – in the emerging field of social network analysis (SNA). If this is the case, where can one go to get a degree in Networking (other than computer networking)?

The answer is: not too many places.

If you pay attention (as I do) to the majority of research done in social network analysis, you will notice that it is a cross-disciplined study that combines areas of computer science, sociology, psychology, communications, anthropology, biology, economics, statistical analysis, geography and even religion.

This is significant to me…it should be for you as well.

What other field of study would be of interest to all these disciplines? Find one…I DARE YOU.

I have stated in previous writings that I believe that networking theory and its many facets, including the study of Relationship Capital is the closest thing we have to understanding “life, the universe and everything” (oh…and by the way it’s the best way of determining the ROI of any network). Einstein referred to this elusive, almost asymptotic goal in mathematical terms as the Unified Field Theory, but to no avail. Could it be, though, that the study of networking mirrors the age old spiritual saying that “all paths lead to the truth”?

What does all of this mean?

For one thing, a paradox…no one is a networking expert, yet everyone is a networking expert…congratulations!

Secondly, networking touches upon just about every discipline that exists. Therefore, to fully grasp the totality of networking, one must be well versed in all studies – a true generalist. The major challenge is that each discipline approaches networking differently (a computer science person will look at networking differently than someone in communications or media).

Practical Considerations

No matter how far down the networking “rabbit hole” one chooses to traverse, no one can doubt how much the networking revolution is changing lives right now…no matter how theoretically academic or pragmatic you are about networking. Even to properly master networking as a jobseeker or business owner, the number of hats needed is considerable.

Certainly influence plays a large role…a recent report on CNN.com - “Obama's health care message hard to control online” touched on how the Obama administration, noted for being well-versed in social media to win the now-famous Election of 2008, has been loosing its edge as of late (in this case the backdrop is U.S. healthcare reform). What I found were the following significant “nuggets” about online networking that I feel are relevant:

· “They're also wondering if it's possible for any one person -- no matter how powerful -- to control public dialogue on a medium like the Internet, where conversations are driven by millions of users instead of TV pundits and heads of state.”

· “All said Democrats have made a number of ‘online gaffes’ that have drawn attention away from their talking points. [David All, founder of TechRepublican.com] said there is "so much noise" in the health care debate online that the party's missteps are overshadowing its message.”

· “In trying to get their message across, administration officials have ‘just as good a shot as some 20-year-old college student from Chicago,’ [Mark Milian of the Los Angeles Times] said. ‘It's just they have more people behind that issue. They have a greater pull.’”

Again, no one’s an expert at networking, yet everyone is. Again, too, there are many hats needed to tackle an issue such as U.S. healthcare reform. From a networking standpoint, to gain any ground, and win this battle of wills and influence, the following skills are just a few needed:

1.) Communications

2.) Leadership

3.) Marketing

4.) Consensus-gathering

5.) Technical know-how of social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

6.) Team-building

7.) Vision forming/focus

8.) Diplomacy

9.) Attention to detail.

Again the implications of this are considerable.

As the internet continues to allow us to become more and more connected, we are being forced to do more and be more. We must be the CEO’s of Me, Inc. to develop our own brand and manage our careers, we must also be the ambassadors of the Country of Me – each of these job positions has a wide range of skills to master. Once more a paradox reveals itself…a country as well as a corporation requires a team of individuals united under a common purpose with varying complimentary skills to accomplish mutually-benefiting goals.

Pushing the Envelope

Just like Michaelangelo gazed upon a block of marble in 1501, saw his now famous statue of David within and used his artisans tools to reveal the image inside it, so we are revealing the human organism of mankind with tools like the internet from the marble block we call “networking”. Each step we take in understanding further – each technological advance we make reveals just how closely connected we all are.

Being closely connected has implications of its own:

1.) Hurting another means hurting us all

2.) Competition is not as effective as cooperation

3.) Major decisions must be made with sustainability in mind

4.) No one wins unless everyone wins

5.) Communication is key to making sure everyone works properly together and understands their purpose.

As one analyzes any effective network (country, corporation, networking group) you will notice that the above characteristics are prevalent. Shouldn’t, then, this also mean that any dysfunctional or seemingly divided network indicate a lack of such characteristics?

If so, understanding networking and the current networking revolution we are part of more than we already do today increases awareness and allows us to better correct such systemic issues for better results. I believe in time, raising networking awareness can eventually put an end to violence, poverty and hunger. Isn’t it time to put such things behind us?

Why?

Because we can.

Adam J. Kovitz is the Chairman & Founder of The National Networker Group of Companies, which publish The National Networker (TNNW), provide member services and consulting as well as branding and social media domination.

For more about Adam J. Kovitz, please click here.

Hire Adam to speak at your next conference or event by emailing info@thenationalnetworker.com.

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The Emergence of the Relationship Economy

Relationship Capital is the cornerstone of the Relationship Economy, which RNIA defines as “a measurement assigned to individual and organizational entities based on the relationship interactions between them, and the interactions they have internally.” I am proud to have contributed discussion of the Ten Laws of Relationships Capital to The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, now out as an eBook and in hardcopy. With a forward written by Doc Searls (of Cluetrain Manifesto fame), it is being considered a “must read” for anyone responsible for the strategic direction of their business. If you would like to purchase your own copy of The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, please click here.

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BECAUSE I CAN: Understanding the Networking Revolution