“Your weak ties connect you to networks that are outside of your own circle. They give you information and ideas that you otherwise would not have gotten.” – Mark Granovetter, sociologist best known for his work on social networks and economic sociology, especially the idea that “weak ties” are crucial for spreading information and opportunities.
We all should be deeply grateful for family, close friends, and the people who show up over and over again in our lives. They’re the ones who keep me grounded, honest, and hopeful.
Early in my career, my boss (and now longtime friend) Joe Sweeney gave me a front-row seat to what intentional networking looks like. Joe wrote Networking Is a Contact Sport, and he lived it: every morning, we’d sit down and go through our contact list with a clear plan. We had a set number of people we’d meet in person, a set number we’d reach out to via email or text, and a set number who would get something in the actual mail—an article, a sponsorship deck, a handwritten note. It turned networking into a kind of game, one that quietly built community.
That season shaped me. It showed me that while I’m deeply thankful for my friends, family, and inner circle, much of the progress in life and work comes through the “weaker” ties—the acquaintance from an event, the person copied on an email, the former co-worker you only see occasionally. Those connections often become the bridges to new ideas, new opportunities, and unexpected collaborations. They help us grow, help us connect, and, very practically, help us get stuff done.
Everyone who comes into your world is there for a reason, I believer this - even if the connection feels small at first. As Joe likes to say, networking is a contact sport—and Granovetter reminds us that the lightest contacts can sometimes move the ball the farthest down the field.