An Executive's Primer on the Strategy of Social Networks

Chapter 3

Creating Useful Social Networks

Worry not that no one knows you, seek to be worth knowing.

—Confucius

Your social network is “useful” to the extent that it helps you get your work done more effectively and efficiently. Is your social network useful, and what can you do to create a useful social network?

In this chapter you will explore your attitudes and behaviors toward social networks and social networking. It is important to recognize that, while there is research on the relative value of doing “network” and other work, you will want to achieve a balance between working on your portfolio of social ties and engaging in other forms of work. That is, you need to be both “working” and networking. Whether your network should be dense ...