Tim Ulbrich revisits his 2019 conversation with David Burkus, author of Friend of a Friend, to explore how we can rethink networking and build relationships that unlock new opportunities. This episode is brought to you by First Horizon.
Episode Summary
In this week’s episode, YFP Co-Founder Tim Ulbrich revisits a 2019 conversation with David Burkus, best-selling author of Friend of a Friend, to explore how we can rethink networking and build relationships that unlock new opportunities. David, an expert in organizational behavior and network science, challenges traditional networking advice and highlights the surprising value of “weak ties”—connections we interact with less often but that can open unexpected doors.
He also explains the power of “dormant ties,” structural holes, super connectors, and the importance of authentic engagement. Tune in for an insightful discussion on leveraging your network to drive success, both professionally and personally.
About Today’s Guest
David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought after keynote speaker, and Associate Professor of Leadership and Innovation. In 2017, he was named as one of the world’s top business thought leaders by Thinkers50.
His book, Friend of a Friend, offers readers a new perspective on how to grow their networks and build key connections—one based on the science of human behavior, not rote networking advice. He is also the author of Under New Managementand The Myths of Creativity. David is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and his work has been featured in Fast Company, the Financial Times, Inc magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and CBS This Morning.
David’s innovative views on leadership have earned him invitations to speak to leaders from a variety of organizations. He’s delivered keynote speeches and workshops for Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Stryker and governmental and military leaders at the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Postgraduate School. His TED talk has been viewed over 2 million times.
Key Points from the Episode
- Introduction to the Podcast and Sponsor [0:00]
- Sponsor Introduction and First Horizon Home Loan [1:27]
- Interview with David Burkus: Background and Motivation [3:09]
- The Concept of Strong and Weak Ties [13:39]
- Engaging with Dormant Ties [22:05]
- Operationalizing Networking: Tools and Systems [26:08]
- Addressing Concerns About Systematic Networking [29:21]
- The Concept of Structural Holes [31:23]
- The Role of Super Connectors [35:42]
- Connecting Networking to Personal Finance [40:59]
Episode Highlights
“The goal is to make weak ties like your old friends, those people who you could pick up the phone and call and it just feels like no time has passed since the last time you’ve talked to them.” -David Burkus [17:52]
“The big lesson is, whatever is unique and authentic for you, that is a system where you’re regularly checking back in with these dormant ties that will work. You’ve got to be comfortable doing it, but once you do it, stay consistent with it.” – David Burkus [25:27]
“If you think about Facebook, for example, if you pull up a list of your friends on Facebook, it’s already sorted by how frequently you interact with those people, right? And in a lot of other places, you can ask for it to sort your existing connections that way, right? So scroll all the way down to the bottom, boom, we’ve already found some of your dormant ties.” – David Burkus [22:01]
“What I tell people, if you get all the way to the end of the day and you haven’t thought of something, you can send a three sentence email that will, believe it or not, jump start a conversation, and the three sentences are: “I was thinking about you today. I hope you’re well. No reply needed.” – David Burkus [24:11]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode
- First Horizon
- YFP Planning
- David Burkus
- Friend of a Friend: Understanding the Hidden Networks that can Transform Your Life and Your Career by David Burkus
- David Bukus’ TED Talk
- Nicholas Christakis
- James Fowler
- Duncan Watts
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by David Carnegie
- Adam Rifkin
- Derek Coburn
- Levitate
- Contactually
- Ronald Burt
- Adam Grant
- YFP Book a Discovery Call
- YFP Disclaimer
- Subscribe to the YFP Newsletter
- Tim Ulbrich on LinkedIn
- YFP on Instagram
- YFP Facebook Group
Episode Transcript
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