From "The Networlding Support Exchange Model" that shows readers how people actually do build successful relationships to the step-by-step process for connecting with a network of like-valued influential people (and the authors handhold you as to how to do this), I found I could take the ideas and implement them immediately. In fact, I already have connected with a couple of influential thought leaders online. It was much easier than I thought possible.
The authors also share extensive academic research done on human networks, putting into simple words, how we can use this knowledge of how people actually build successful relationships to grow our own powerful and fulfilling networks.
I personally have never seen a book like this. It is chock full of stories and strategies the authors themselves have used personally to grow their networks. In fact, the story of how they came together is a Networlding story in itself! It's wonderful to have a tool that will help me get ahead without stepping on others along the way. To the contrary, Giovagnoli and Miller show you how to get to the top and take great people with you along the way so you have lots of friends when you get there! What a great journey!
How do you accomplish this? The book suggests a seven step process - cycle that repeat itself. It all starts with finding out what means the most to you - your foundation. You will then learn to populate your primary, secondary and possibly tetriary circle depending on the nature of your current relationships. How do you create a mutual exchange, and nurture your relationships is the next question. Before it is time to re-create your networld, the book will discuss how to co-create opportunities.
I liked the book! I have not yet implemented its strategies, but it immediately made me think about relationships in a new way, to be more concerned with maintaining the right relationsships and finding the give-take balance. If I ask for information, I try to give something back. This is an area of my life that will continue to be important, and I'm convinced that I will apply the parts from the book that I find useful. I'm sure that there is at least a few tips that you will find useful in this book!
It is always annoying to read books that tell nothing but common knowledge. The authors recycle ideas from any five books that one can find from library, then put them in an order that is not necessarily logical anyway. For example, after claiming how great this "networlding" idea is, the book suggest you start with "friends, family, cusotmers, colleagues, vendors" with probably average 5 lines of explanation under each. Sounds intriguing, eh? The book suggests some important quality for one to be succcessful in "networlding": "supportive, continuous communicating, good listener, responsible, influential, knowledgeable, empathic, appreciative..." and again providing five line explanation. How original is this? I guess if I look up any dictionary, I can find another couple thousand words that I can argue that if you don't have them, you are not going to be successful, in anything, networlding or not!
What is the most annoying about this book is that it tries to differentiate so called "networlding" with the networking people know. If the concept of networlding had been so different, then it would have been acceptable. Instead, the book assumes that every "networker" just constantly passes out business cards. It is almost offensive to any networkers with reasonable skills. For example, one of the most important messages in the book is that "networlders" discreminate their network by value. First, any people into network knows about this. Second, the examples provided in the book to prove this are nothing new - so and so and so and so are good friends, then suddenly one day one finds a job for another. Logically, such examples don't even support the arguments.
Unfortunately, there are tons of books out there that do not offer anything other than common knowledge that no one can object. Good books, however, offer original ideas or constructive suggestions. This is not a good book. This is a book that the authors simply assume the readers are stupid. Do not waste your time on it.