No One Counts The Steps To The Grocery Store. (The Silliness Of Quality Versus Quantity Revisited)

[Vincent Wright]

To me, as a professional networker, the silliness of the Quality versus Quantity argument can't die soon enough! But, unfortunately, that old bromide of an argument seems as hard to get rid of as ridding the Earth of the cockroaches which have been around since before the dinosaurs faced extinction.

But, whether or not the argument dies, there is a persistent group of "network SIZE monitors" (NSM), who just seem hell-bent on watching the size of networks which they themselves don't have to manage.

Why they choose to invest their time monitoring other people's networks is food for another discussion but, briefly, these network SIZE monitors spend THEIR time monitoring the size of your network seemingly for no other reason than to condemn your network once it reaches a certain size. (Never mind that you may be making effective use of your networks for the purposes for which you built it.)

Some seem to think that if they can get their condemnation of the size of YOUR network out quickly enough, it will somehow help THEM establish themselves as a better, more accountable, more professional, more successful networker.

I think that attitude and presumption is sheer silliness - and speaking of managing things - a mismanagement of their own professional time.

For their own productivity, I recommend that NSM's reduce the size of the number of things they worry about which is not theirs to worry about in the first place.

My questions:
1. What difference does it make to YOU what size MY network is? (Focus on yours. I'll focus on mine.)
2. Why use your precious time trying to figure out my relationship with my network(s) and how I manage them?
3. Do you count the steps to the grocery store?
4. Do you eat to eat the precise number of calories - OR - do you eat for nutrition, health, energy, and power?
5. Do you focus on how many calories you allocate to loving? Or, do you focus on loving the people who mean most to you - irrespective of how many calories you burn up in the process?

Theoretically, music, art, human conversation, blogging, and even loving can be done by the numbers but, for me, I prefer a less mechanical, more human means of managing and interacting with the people in my networks, in my life - irrespective of numerical size.

What say you?

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!!
Vincent Wright
Online Community Manager
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[Leanne Hoagland-Smith]

Far too many people focus on what is outside of their control instead of focusing on what they can control and then take the appropriate action to make it so.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
CoachLee

[Vincent Wright]

Thanks, Leanne. (Perhaps, we can get you to set up a coaching program designed to coach them to stop doing that! :-) )

Hope to talk with you some time in the not too distant future...
Vincent

[Gary W. Fortune, PMP]

I am an unemployed Project Manager, and have been since last October, although I work an average 12 hours per day and seven days a week trying to get a new position anywhere on the planet.

Based upon that mission I have only one mission, to get a job! To that end I need to meet my new future boss who I don't know now. I don't care how many connections others have. I want all the 'quality' connections I can get. I do not want those with zero or one connection whose only objective is to sell me anything.

When I invite/am invited to link, I look at the person's profile to see if they are serious professionals in any field. I look at their profile to see IF I might be of value to them or them to me in answer to WHY we are linked.

I also look at the networks of those with whom I have worked, to see if I have overlooked a person I want to invite, and never to count their connections.

Regards,

Gary Fortune
678-488-6592

[Vincent Wright]

Hi, Gary,
While their web site is undergoing maintenance as I type this, I'd like to strongly encourage you to check out http://allpm.com/ It's one of my favorite sites for Project/Product Managers and has a jobs section.

Thanks, and Keep STRONG, Gary!
VincentWright.org

[Bernie Warren]

Vincent - you and my mother are totally right! Live and let live. If more of us did that both in and out of networking think of what a beautiful world this would be!!!

[Vincent Wright]

Bernie,
Your mother is my favorite type of person! And, indeed, it would be a much more beautiful world if we followed your mother's wise advice.

Keep STRONG, Bernie!
VincentWright.org

[Steve Tylock]

While I posted "Counting Up Connections" last week, I did so mostly as an exercise in figuring something out about LinkedIn - not that the number really meant anything. (and said as much in the post)

It sounds as if you've run across one or more people that have done the counting and then cared enough about the number to "do something" - how odd;-)

I'd suggest just letting them waste their own time...

steve

[Vincent Wright]

Thanks for sharing "Counting Up Connections" with us, Steve. (http://www.linkedinpersonaltrainer.com/archives/counting-up-connect... )

By the way: While I don't have time to find it right now, a while ago, on MyVirtualPowerForum.com, we discussed how to find out someone's network size on Linkedin. If I get a few extra minutes, I'll look it up and share it with you, ok?

Keep STRONG, Steve!
Vincent

[Terri L. Maurer]

Vincent:
While I am amazed at the sheer numbers of some networks, the thought of tracking them or even giving them a second thought has never entered my mind. For as many people that are involved in all this new social media, there are probably as many reasons for belonging to any given site or group, or close to it. I will review new contacts' lists to see if there might be someone in their tribe that I know, that I feel would be a good contact to help me meet my goals, or that I might be helpful to. The numbers are not important to me nearly as much as the person, who they are and what they do. I guess that makes me more of a 'quality' person, but I have not limited 'quantity' to any set number. If I have the time and can make the effort to contact thousands of people who fit my needs or I fit theirs, so be it, but beyond that, I could care less.

[Vincent Wright]

Excellent thoughts, Terri.

For me, I think we're all "quality" people and, too, of necessity we're all technically "quantity" people. In practice, the functioning of two concepts is too important to one another to be irrevocably separated.

Thanks, Terri.
Vincent

[Robert McNulty]

I agree with and operate under the live and let live policy.

I understand many networkers are not seeking a two way networking relationship.

These networkers only look at their network as a venue for proselytizing their special campaigns, ideas, or products.

In addition, they tend to send invitations, but do not accept them from others.

Within the doctrine of networking should be the realization that different needs are being served. As a risk taker, I accept all invitations. I also hazard the risk of being turned down when I send them out.

I figure the greatest hazard is the rants I from people who don't want their time used up by others. I cannot change this so don't allow it to stop me.

Besides, I went through this challenge as a teenager asking girls out. It was significantly more devastating then than it ever will be now.

Just a networker

Bob

[Vincent Wright]

Thanks for reminding us of that uber-awkward teenage challenge of asking girls out! I'm SUPER GLAD that THAT period is over! :-)

Let's catch up soon, Bob!
Vincent