#9a1: The role of strong connections in building influence.

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The more general form of "leading without authority" is "creating change without authority". The ability to create change is enabled by influence. Influence is not a direct function of the count of your connections; rather, it comes from having strong connections.

A strong connection, in contrast to a weak connection, is someone with whom you have more than a passing level of rapport. But another important factor of a connection being strong is the level of their connectedness — are they also well-connected? Does their network span a wide area (functionally, socially, geographically, and ideally having little overlap with your direct network)? A wide, deep, and strong network is a key contributing factor to your influence.

(Note: I intentionally use the word "creating", in "creating change", over "enacting" — introducing a new policy and ratifying the change don't need to come from the individual who "creates" change.)


Related: 9a, 10a

© Braden Moore.RSS