NetWeaving – “Good things happen to people who. . .MAKE good things happen”
“When you open up the door for someone else, you never know who YOU will meet as a
result”
Bob Littell, Chief NetWeaver chiefnetweaver@gmail.com
The Enrichment Company and NetWeavers International
Part 1 - Introduction to NetWeaving
This series of articles will provide tips on how to become a power NetWeaver. NetWeaving is a
form of networking which focuses on helping OTHERS. . .rather than the more the traditional
“What’s In It For Me” (WIIFMe) form which aims at leveraging one’s circle of friends, business
associates, and centers of influence to generate more business for oneself.
As persons will tell you who have been “NetWeaving” all their lives without a word to describe
what they were doing, the long-term benefits of NetWeaving are many times greater than those of
WIIFMe networking. Although the benefits which come back to the NetWeaver sometimes take
months or even years to materialize, and often they are 3 or 4 steps or persons removed from the
initial NetWeaving circumstances, the results are often surprising, and occasionally spectacular
and life-altering.
There are two key elements of NetWeaving. The first is learning to become a Connector OF
others – putting people together in win-win relationships – not looking to gain anything out of it.
NetWeavers simply act with the conviction to know that some of their good deeds will come back
around.
The second element of NetWeaving is learning how to position yourself as a gratuitous Resource
FOR others. . .’no-strings-attached’ – someone we might call a “virtual Sergeant Bilko” – coined
after the old TV Show by the same name. Whether you were a General or a Private, if you
needed information or needed to get something done, especially something out of the ordinary,
you came to Sergeant Bilko. Not only was he valuable by virtue of his network of contacts and
resources, but he knew how to get things done outside normal channels.
Sometimes, this means acting as the resource provider yourself with the NetWeaver supplying
his or her own expertise. On other occasions, it involves providing resources from your
NetWeaver’s Trusted Resource Network – a broad group of experts in a variety of fields whom
the NetWeaver has assembled and who, agree to be a part of your gratuitous network, in
exchange for you agreeing to be part of theirs. The strength of the resources you can provide
your clients, friends, and prospects is limited only by your imagination.
One parting thought in this introduction to NetWeaving. Early on, we discovered that there are
immediate benefits to those persons who become outspoken “NetWeaving Advocates” - we now
call a” NetWeaving Ambassador” - and spread the word about the joys and benefits of this winwin form of networking. Their prestige and reputation are both elevated and enhanced. And by
so doing, the NetWeaving Ambassador finds him/herself doing much more NetWeaving and
everyone benefits.
Perhaps even more importantly, acts of NetWeaving (especially “hosting” meetings for
others – see future article) ENERGIZE the NetWeaver and make him/her better at everything else
she/he does.
Just as “random acts of kindness” are contagious, so it is with NetWeaving. Try and it
and just watch what happens.