The Chemistry of Connection
Last month after a two year hiatus I found myself in the fortunate position of attending a ‘breakfast meeting’. I’ve been up and working well before 0700 throughout the pandemic - The Daily does not write itself - but it felt particularly novel to be heading into Central London ready to engage with my fellow man and woman in person.
The occasion was the Adoreum hosted launch of the The Future Laboratory‘s latest white paper: “The Chemistry of Connection: Creating Positive and Impactful Value from Network Communities”.
Martin Raymond, co-founder of the Future Laboratory, futurist and journalist was the author and was there to present extracts and expand upon key themes with some gentle provocation from Ben Whattam the COO of Keko Group.
There are 30 rules in all, and none that I would take issue with but I’ve listed the 11 that I felt were most powerful to me;
#2 - Networks are about the 4 Cs : connections, conversations, communities and collaborations
#4 - networks are about communities not hierarchies
#5 - good network members don’t transact, they transform
#6 - the best networks are distributive and collaborative
#11 - the best networkers ask the wrong people the right kind of questions (arguably this is my favourite rule)
#15 - dormant ties are forgotten moments of opportunity
#17 - follow the 4 Ds : be discreet, be diverse, be disruptive, be distributive
#20 - the best nodes and hubs become super-connectors (Marcus Watson, founder and CEO of Adoreum Partners was with us in the room, arguably the finest example of a generous and exceptional ‘super-connector’)
#25 - well-connected networks attract super-connected people
#27 - engineered serendipity is a given within successful networks
#29 - the best networks are about unfettered reciprocity
There was an element of the movie “Inception” that morning. A networking event to study networking but it provided a very tangible reminder that human connection is vital. I spent a good deal of the pre and post session talking to people I knew well and yet I still managed to expand my network by 3 new people. In many respects COVID seduced us in to believing that we could do everything as before only virtually. Quite wrong.
The key takeaway from me, which Raymond brought alive in his inimitable fashion, was that networks are ALIVE. It’s how you behave in them and use them that’s key - not just the fact you are in one;
”Brands, businesses and private membership platforms and clubs now need to reassess the role networks plan in today’s inter-Covid culture. Not just in terms of the kind of members that certain clubs, apps or platforms have, but more about HOW networks themselves work and the way you harness them as a brand, business or individual once you understand what these rules and hidden laws are”.
Martin Raymond
If half the morning was spent considering how effective (or not) I was as a networker, arguably the more provocative parts related to how brands ‘network’ with consumers.
The point was well made that even for the biggest brands consumer engagement is now much less about ‘campaigns’ and more about ‘communal conversations’. It’s about brand engaging with Co partners and collaborators - benefiting from their influencer and (this is crucial) ‘nano influencer’ networks.
”Brand or future facing individuals with an eye on tomorrow’s new market opportunities are beginning to understand the true power of niche clubs, high net worth individual enclaves and the so called value networks they contain.”
Martin Raymond
This quick blog does not do the paper justice, it is extensive, meticulously sourced and argued so please download a complimentary copy of the report by visiting the Adoreum website here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Izatt is a brand consultant living in London and founder of Mission Critical, a highly focused and curated weekly briefing for time-poor and information-hungry decision-makers.
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