Superconnect
Harnessing the Power of Networks and the Strength of Weak Links
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
For readers of Outliers or The Wisdom of Crowds — or internationally bestselling author Richard Koch's many followers — this entertaining book draws on the latest in network science research to show how any of us can increase the chances of success in our personal and work lives.
What's so special about the rich and famous? Unusually successful people often think they've done well because of their talent or luck — or simple grit and hard work. But individual characteristics matter far less than the social connections we exploit. And counterintuitively, it's our weak links — your neighbour's landscaper or that ad agency guy you happened to meet at your sister's birthday party last year — that matter most of all. Drawing on research from the fields of sociology, math, and physics, internationally bestselling author and entrepreneur Richard Koch and his co-author Greg Lockwood show how networks impact our everyday lives. Rich with entertaining anecdotes and written in Richard Koch's trademark conversational style, Superconnect reveals the hidden patterns behind everyday events. Most importantly, it shows how any of us can increase the chances of happy outcomes in our own lives, careers, or businesses.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Entrepreneur Koch (The 80/20 Principle) and investor Lockwood break down the three types of connection strong links: long-lasting relationships with friends and family; weak links: relationships with acquaintances; and hubs: the junction of several strong and weak links, such as businesses, social circles, schools, nations. The rock stars of social connections and networking are the eponymous "superconnectors" individuals and businesses who are disproportionately connected (and significantly more successful as a result) and their specific talents hold far-reaching implications for market structure, strategy, and industrial policy. Through lively case studies and stories, the authors explore how the Internet has changed links, the new rules and characteristics of a hyperlinked society, and how firms and individuals can benefit from the all-important weak links. Weak links, or casual contacts, are a crucial resource; requiring little work or effort, these relationships "deliver enormous dividends," and this smart and thought-provoking analysis explains how individuals and businesses can harness their power for almost any kind of professional advancement.
