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Way, way, way back in the beginning of this podcast, like episode two, as a
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matter of fact, I did an episode titled how to analyze your network and it
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was all about your networking circles.
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And now everyone, you know, is part of your network.
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And those people will fall into one of those circles.
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One of those four circles.
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Now I'm taking it a bit further and re-examining the
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entire networking paradigm.
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Welcome to episode 1 62 of the shit works, a podcast dedicated to all
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things, networking, relationship building and business development.
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I'm your host, Julie Brown.
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Speaker author and networking coach.
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And today I am discussing why structuring your network into
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clusters is the key to success.
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Over the past year I've been taking my signature 60 minute keynote and breaking
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it down into four deep dive workshops.
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One of the first tracks of the workshop is all about the size
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and strength of your network.
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The research for this deep dive, led me into the findings by the
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eminent network scientist, Ron Burt.
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Which can be boiled down to a simple fact.
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Being in an open network.
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One in which you are the connection point between network clusters
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is one of the most accurate predictors of business success.
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Okay.
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So what does that mean?
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Let's break it down a little bit.
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What is an open network and what are clusters?
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So the more antiquated way of looking at a network is that it is a business
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activity and that our network is all of the people we interact with within
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the business or industry that we serve.
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So you can see how this would be a closed network.
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Most of the people in this network know each other, and there isn't
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a lot of outside thoughts and ideas permeating this network.
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Because it's all structured around the work where the industry.
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This is why, when I had originally asked you to analyze your network back
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in episode two, I asked you to make a list of every single person you knew.
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From family, to friends, to neighbors, to alumni networks, to industry
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connections and so on and so on.
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Because I want you to think of all of these people as your network.
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And it seems like I was spot on, but this study takes it a step further and
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asks you to think about all of those people as smaller cluster networks,
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which don't necessarily overlap.
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Here's what I mean by that.
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If I was going to look at my network clusters, there would be my architecture
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and construction industry cluster.
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There would be my professional speaking industry cluster.
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There would be my neighborhood friends cluster.
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There would be my skiing friends cluster.
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There would be my college alumni cluster.
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And so on now.
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There may be some overlap with these clusters, but most of them
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are independent of each other.
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And this is important for two reasons.
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One, because in an open network with a lot of clusters, You're more
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likely to be exposed to new ideas.
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Second.
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When your clusters aren't connected, you have the ability to be a
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connector of people and thoughts between disparate clusters.
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And this is important.
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According to multiple peer reviewed studies, simply being in an open
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network instead of a closed one.
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Is the best predictor of career success.
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I'm going to say that again.
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Simply being in an open network instead of a closed one is the
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best predictor of career success.
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In fact, the study shows that half of the predicted difference in career success.
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For example, promotions, compensation, industry recognition is due to this one.
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Variable.
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Wow.
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We spend so much of our time wondering how to be more successful, to make more money,
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to have greater industry recognition.
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When one of the answers is right in front of us.
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Create a large open network in which you are exposed to new ideas and new people
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and have the opportunity to be a connector of people and thoughts between them.
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You might be asking, how is it possible that the structure of one's
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network could be such a powerful predictor for career success?
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Well, the research by Philip Tetlock shows that people with open
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networks are better forecasters than people with closed networks.
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So please.
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Whatever industry you are in.
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Those connections are important.
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100%.
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But consider them just one of many clusters that you can create and then
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share information and connections between.
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If the studies are correct, simply opening up your network will help you succeed.
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So.
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Take a moment to think about your clusters.
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How many do you have?
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Could you add more?
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And then could you be a broker of information and connections between them?
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I think you can.
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Okay.
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Onto the drink of the week, which man I have missed doing these.
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Okay.
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But maybe not this one, this week's cocktail is.
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This week's cocktail is called the cluster.
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Fuck.
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Get it.
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Cluster.
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Okay.
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Maybe if you don't start making clusters in and you're at work,
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you just might get fucked.
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I don't know.
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It's a stretch.
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I know, but it had the word cluster in it.
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So go with B.
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But don't actually make this cocktail cause this fucking terrible.
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If you want to make it, here's what you're going to need.
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Oh, half an ounce.
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Half an ounce of bourbon, a half an ounce of tequila.
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I half an ounce of light rum.
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I half an ounce of vodka, a half an ounce of butter.
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SCUP purse, scotch.
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Knox who even has that in their bar.
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One ounce of apple shops.
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I mean, who has that?
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And a half ounce of Tennessee whiskey or just regular whiskey.
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Okay.
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Pour the Tennessee whiskey.
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The.
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The bourbon that tequila, the rum and vodka into a cocktail shaker,
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half filled with ice cubes, shake Whelan straight into a highball glass,
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and then add the butterscotch and apples notch to the top and serve.
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Okay.
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It's like, it's like the Southern version of a long island ice tea, I think,
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but I don't exactly know where the butterscotch and apple comes in anyways.
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Yeah, I a hundred percent agree if you drink.
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These you and everyone in your cluster will probably be fucked.
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All right, friends.
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That's all for this week.
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Aren't you so glad we're back to the drinks of the week.
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Um, if you like what you heard today, please leave a review
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and subscribe to the podcast.
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Also, please remember to share the podcast to help it reach a larger
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audience as super, super important.
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If you want more, Julie Brown, you can find my book.
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This shit works on Amazon or Barnes and noble.
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You can find me on LinkedIn at Julie Brown BD.
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Just let me know where you found me when you reach out.
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I am Julie Brown underscore BD on Instagram, or you can just
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pop on over to my website, Julie Brown, bd.com until next week.
