Nilofer Merchant

Putting the Power of Connection to Work

By Nilofer Merchant on Jun 06, 2013 10:53 am

Through onlyness, we celebrate that which only we can bring to a situation.

And while it is the starting point of how extraordinary value gets created, it is not the complete picture. To complete the picture, we must understand also that, today, value comes from connected individuals. The most central tenant of the Social Era is this: connected individuals can do what once only once large organizations could. This has huge and profound implications.

For those of you that have kids you probably have stubbed your foot on Legos pieces more than once. Imagine onlyness and connectedness via Legos. The core brick is the basis of value, and the nubs allow for scale of impact. Onlyness is the basis by which you create, and it is your connectedness that lets you do extraordinary things together (and at scale).

So it’s not enough to own your onlyness, you must also understand the ways to build connectedness through the communities of passion or purpose, proximity or providence. We must put the power of connection to work.

Mitch Joel, a fellow Harvard writer and marketing guru, and I got into a conversation the other day on the topic of community — how to find it, how to nurture it. It’s really two buds thinking together and exploring a topic, caught on a digital recorder. I haven’t listened to it but I’ve gotten loads of positive comments online about it. Mitch and I realize that even our relationship is an example of how connectedness lets us each do our thing better…. If this topic interests you, you might want to listen in, here, or in long form here: http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/how-to-support-a-community/.

(after you listen) Share what struck you? And if there are more questions you have on the topic (surely there are?) … happy to get into a conversation on them. Together, we could create a practical forum here at Yes & Know on ways to build your connectedness …