“Network Literacy”

I learned a few things during the past 2 days of conferences and serving as a panelist.

Perhaps the most important thing I learned is that we ALL need to improve our “Network Literacy,” as Reid Hoffman calls it (see this article.)

I met and spoke with so many sharp people who want to learn how to better use social media (and especially LinkedIn) to network themselves effectively, but don’t know where to start again. Or they know where to start, but fear the steep learning curve it involves.

No matter who your audience or prospective clientele is, you need to jump into the pool–network into their hearts and minds in the manner in which they are most comfortable. Do it repeatedly so you are memorable.

That may not be the medium in which you are most comfortable…and that may mean you need to become “multi-lingual,” if you can accept that each social media network has its own language/culture/citizenship).

Find the networking art-appreciation course that will propel you to the top and then come back to the office and use what you learned, and do it a lot!

Like any language you learn, use it or lose it.