Many people — including myself — believe that one’s net-worth is largely defined by his or her net-work.
But while most people will tell you that WHO you know matters most, I personally believe HOW you know someone matters just as much, if not more so.
Whether we like it or not, our perceptual value by others is initially determined by the context with which we meet them.
Perhaps this idea is easier explained through some hypothetical (wink, wink) scenarios.
Scenario 1
You just witnessed the most brilliant keynote talk you’ve ever seen. As soon as the talk ends, you rush up to the stage to stand in line to get your 30-second chance to meet the ‘celebrity’ speaker. When the moment arrives, you shake hands, exchange brief comments, and then walk away. No matter how good the brief conversation, from the speaker’s viewpoint, you will now always be remembered as that stranger fan who fawned for your attention. There’s nothing wrong with that, just not a meaningful connection.
Scenario 2
You just witnessed the most brilliant keynote talk you’ve ever seen. As soon as the talk ends, you noticed one of your good friends happens to know the ‘celebrity’ speaker. With patience and intention, you then make an extra effort to stick…
