Taco Bell is rarely considered a place for a business epiphany, but it is exactly where I had my latest one.  We were discussing my plans for engaging more potential clients when it hit me — I have been growing my network but filling it only with people I feel are on my level professionally.  My focus has been on strengthening relationships with people I am already comfortable with.  I have been doing very little in terms of building aspirational contacts.

There is nothing wrong with networking at your level. In fact, it is highly beneficial.  You will find people to push you, you will find people to comfort you, and you will find people you can learn from.  Being a connector of people is a great position to find yourself in. You need to be able to connect people from many walks of life, so there is a great case for continuing to build relationships with people you are comfortable with.

As a strategy however, you have to push yourself to grow your network.  The cliché business phrase, “if you’re not growing, you’re dying,” is absolutely true when it comes to networking.  And if you are not happy with your business results, you’re probably not growing your network of people who are better at business than you are.

While I’ve been thinking about how to grow our business, I have also been reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point.  He identifies three types of people that get trends moving.  One is the Connector, someone who seems to know everyone and is great at making beneficial relationships happen.  Another is the Maven, who is like the Connector, but who have an unusual expertise in an unusual number of subjects.  The third one is the Salesman, someone who is so enthusiastic about what they do that they attract people to them and the causes they champion.  This book has helped me sharpen my focus on which people need to be in my network.

All three would be great additions to my network, but personally, my aspirational contacts are what Gladwell would refer to as Mavens.  They’re the people that make things happen.  Titles are not as important as their business acumen.  They have an amazing grasp of several subjects and can speak clearly on each topic.  Recommendations they make are golden because they have a unique understanding of people and situations.  Their networks may not be as large as Connectors, but their understanding of their network is stronger.  In short, they understand people, know business and can eloquently merge the two.
So, who do you need to meet to move forward?  Do you have Mavens in your network?  If so, how did you attract them, and what are you doing to keep your relationship with them strong?  If not, why not?  If you treat them well, they’ll only help your business!