Business Monday: Diversity for Better Networking – Bob Salvas

by Bob Salvas, contributing writer

Diversity…for better networking!

Diversity can be a ‘hot button’ topic in today’s world. Those who embrace it often say that diversity is simply doing the right thing to do (and I tend to agree with them).  But we often forget or ignore the positive underlying business benefits of diversity.  One big business benefit is in networking.

Let’s go back in time to the very formation of this country… On that legendary night of ‘the British are coming’, several riders were sent out to spread the word. Yet, we only remember Paul Revere. It is true that there was that famous poem of course, but why were there no poems about William Dawes, or others, spreading the word? It was because Paul Revere not only had a reputation for integrity, but he was also connected to a wide array of diverse networks. Even more so than today, back then people who were like each other would congregate together. Here is what an article by Cornell University said about Paul Revere:

“It’s possible that Revere is the reason the social network of the Colonial-era Boston area was connected, and not separated into distinct components by town. He may have personally formed many local bridges from Boston to neighboring towns like Waltham. His extreme social interconnectivity was a major factor in his success in spreading his message and the reason why the famous tale of the midnight ride of Paul Revere is told to every American schoolchild.”

Beyond the interesting historical exploits of patriots like Paul Revere, diversity can also play a huge role in the success of your business in today’s world (and it probably doesn’t surprise you that Paul Revere was also a business owner in his family’s silversmith business!). In networking, the key people are the ‘connectors’. And who do the connectors connect? People from different networks.

So, I got to know you from a regular business networking event, but I also know ‘Fred’ from my church and Fred, and you both are perfect for helping each other in business, so I introduce you. I have just connected someone from one of my networks to someone else in one of my other networks. Do that often enough and people will seek out ways to help and connect with YOU! And in networking, this is where the biggest successes come from!

“A diverse personal network enables you to increase the possibility of including connectors. These are people who cross over in some way between two or more groups of people. The best way to increase the number of possible connections in your network is to intentionally develop a diverse, heterogeneous network that has connections to other clusters of people.”

                                                   – from Be Intentional About Diversity by Brian Hilliard and Dr. Ivan Misner

Think about how you can bring more diversity into your life. It is not just the right thing to do and the American thing to do, but it is also the BUSINESS thing to do.  Happy Patriots’ Day!

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” – Maya Angelou

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Bob Salvas is a marketing and business advisor and a professional development manager for the RI Builders Association. You can contact Bob via email: [email protected]