Network across generations!
In a previous post, we covered the importance of adapting to the interlocutor when networking across generations. You might think: “Why bother taking so much extra trouble. Let’s not network with those people”.
If you think that … think again! Networking across generations can provide very valuable “weak ties”. Weak ties are the links you have with people that are not close to you.
As we will see in a later post, weak ties are very important in a network. They provide the diversity required for your network.
Where do you start? Well, if you only know people from your generation, you can tap into your parents’ network, your uncle’s network and even your children’s network.
For instance, my father introduced me over lunch to a good old friend of his. He happened to be the president of a big real estate corporation. I could not have had that contact by following a bottom-up approach inside that corporation.
On another occasion, my young daughter introduced me to a friend of hers, who introduced me to his father, who is the CEO of an excellent start-up.
Guess what? Following the recommendations of my previous post, in order to thank my daughter’s friend, I had to… create a “Messenger” account!
