Do you like networking? If you are like most people, you probably dread it.
David Burkus is going to help you reimagine networking by sharing how social networks work to work yours more effectively.
He’s the author of the new book, Friend of a Friend. It’s a compilation of the science about how social networks really work by understanding how to better leverage the connections you already have to expand your network.
Lot of great lessons in our conversation including:
- Why weak or dormant ties in your network are so powerful.
- Making a habit of reaching out to your network rather than waiting until you need something.
- How shared activities can create higher stakes for building deeper connections than networking events.
- Why you move up faster when you are moving around more by jumping from company to company.
Life Skills That Matter In This Episode
- Build your community
- Reframe your mindset
- Align your habits
How David Works and Thinks
- Wake up time: Between 6:00 and 6:30 am
- Ideal work environment: For writing, it’s between 8:30 and 10:00 am when the house is quiet. For other things, it’s usually on stage or in a group of people.
- Favorite productivity tool: Jeff Goins – The Three Bucket System
- 90-day goal: Sell as many copies of the book as possible and hit the Wall Street Journal best-seller list.
Inspirational Quotes
“You can learn something from everyone and if you feel like you can’t, the problem is you, not them.”
“Networking should be, and is, about understanding the network you already exist in.”
“There will always be value for the people that connect two different communities together.”
Coaching Advice
For writers looking to turn their craft of writing into a business, David had this advice:
1) Focus on getting people to notice your writing even more than you focus on your writing.
2) As Ryan Holiday says, “be marketing all of the time” and occasionally release that big piece of writing.
Resources + Bonus Materials
University of California Study on the “Entrepreneur Pay Bump”
Friend of a Friend by David Burkus
Robin Dunbar – Dunbar’s Number
Under New Management by David Burkus
David mentioned a few times in our interview to “visualize” your social network. This is what I visualize:
Special Offer
“How to Connect” Audio Course at davidburkus.com/lifeskillsthatmatter