So what is the founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman's Action Plan for Networking? He calls them Reid's Rules.
I read a really truly compelling article on CNN last night, pumping Reid Hoffman's new book The Start-Up of You. The book seems really good. Reid Hoffman has had an incredible run starting LinkedIn and then investing in FaceBook and Zynga.
The interesting thing to me was that he makes conscious "investments" in other people. For example, he met Mark Pincus at the start of social media. Reid gave Mark the opportunity to invest in FaceBook. Mark gave Reid the opportunity to invest Zynga when it was just an idea.
Is it luck or does fortune come to those who have a conscious strategy of investing in and developing other people?
It's kind of like ActiveRain's core concept of Pay it Forward to the Community:
Here are "Reid's Rules" from "The Real Way to Build A Social Network"
"In the next day: Look at your calendar for the past six months and identify the five people you spend the most time with -- are you happy with their influence on you?
In the next week: Introduce two people who do not know each other but ought to. Then think about a challenge you face and ask for an introduction to a connection in your network who could help.
Imagine you got laid off from your job today. Who are the 10 people you'd e-mail for advice? Don't wait -- invest in those relationships now.
In the next month: Identify a weaker tie with whom you'd like to build an alliance. Help him by giving him a small gift -- forward an article or job posting.
Create an "interesting people fund" to which you automatically funnel a certain percentage of your paycheck. Use it to pay for coffees and the occasional plane ticket to meet new people and shore up existing relationships."
So:
- Are Reid's Rules applicable to ActiveRain and real estate?
- Are you going to implement any of the ideas above?
Nikesh Parekh
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I've decided to take on networking in 2012. These are woderful tips. I love that they don't center around, who can I meet that can help me. It includes the giving of yourself that is necessary to foster relationships, so when you do need something, people are dying to help you because you've been helping them. Relatinoship building is highly important in real estate.
These tips are definitely relevant to real estate. Essentially, take a good, close look at your circle of friends and acquaintances, figure out which ones you can learn or profit from the most, strengthen those ties and you're well on your way to success. I naturally gravitate towards "doers" anyway and try to avoid people (you can't do this with family) who drain me of my energy.
I can see some things on that list that could be very helpful.
Wow...excellent and definitely a forward momentum script...thank you for sharing this.
Very high value post. Thanks for sharing! This book is on my shopping list.
Awesome post, Nikesh... I put it everywhere, twitter, linkedin, etc.
Nikkis, great ...i need to be back to my vendor partnerships again to help them out with SEO & they'll help me with clients!
Nikesh, I definitely feel that Reid's rules can apply to real estate, and am going to try to implement them in the next week.
Niki,
This seems to make sense to me. This year I have to improve my social media presence.
Brian
Niki:
I have been debating whether I should join a business network group. Most of my business comes from referrals. People whom I have known for a long time. I am just not sure it would be worth the effort to join a new group. Most of the ideas you mention are things we should be doing. Thanks for the info about the book. I will be reading it soon.
Looks like these are rules that have proven to make Reid very successful so it;s definately time to incoporate them into my life.
As always the resources here are unbelievable. No day goes without valuable information.
Niki - I can see how this would really build your network and haven't seen these rules before.
I like the interesting people fund. There's some many interesting people I'd love to visit with . . . but for the plane ticket! I'd expand this a little further too, email or connect with someone you find interesting on the social networks. I did that tonight. I read two things that inspired me: a blog post by someone I don't know, but I left a comment on his post (not AR either), and an announcement from a business here in Portland that I like their product and want to blog about, I emailed them. Social . . . network.
Niki--this is great. I am fascinating at his approach, and yes, feel like I need to be adopting these for my business. Thanks for posting this.
Very applicable to ActiveRain. Supporting others, sharing advise, etc.
All those I follow on ActiveRAIN seem interesting to me.
Of course, these ideas apply to RE.
Gotta give before you can receive, right? Great thoughts here.
OK. I'll try to implement some of these ideas into my business.
Nikki, I love this post and I missed it when you posted it. It rings so true and this type of thing has been strongly on my mind lately.
It feels like I spend a lot of time going round and round with networking but without goals for what I want the networking efforts to attain.
I'm going to go through your list and do those things.
Very interesting post.
Thank you for a great lesson. I have been working on this (unconsciously, as usual) for about two months. Now, I will have to get the book. Thanks, Niki.
I had not heard of his rules before...now I'm excited to go buy the book...thank you!!
Thanks to Lynn for the reblog. This is my favorite...Don't wait -- invest in those relationships now.
I LOVE the idea of "intersting people fund". Luckily in Manhattan, there is no shortage of interesting people to meet. But I do also think of vacations as an opportunity to connect with people to build my network.
Great Post!