“Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. ‘When the number of committed opinion holders is below 10 percent, there is no visible progress in the spread of ideas. It would literally take the amount of time comparable to the age of the universe for this size group to reach the majority,’ said SCNARC Director Boleslaw Szymanski. ‘Once that number grows above 10 percent, the idea spreads like flame.’ These findings were published in the July 22, 2011, early online edition of the journal Physical Review E.”

So what are the implications here? They would include:

1. It’s no longer the 20% that yields an 80% return but rather 10% that yields a 90% return.
2. You don’t hae to have as large a number of people who buy into a new idea you have as you think.
3. You can find those 10% influencers and accelerate your success. Who are they? Look for people like Seth Godin and Chris Brogan, but also go for people who are growing their influence–rising up through the influence rankings.
4. Follow sites that produce the 10% wisdom on sites like Hubspot. That site is on steroids offering at least two amazing, free e-books a month on the 10% of net wisdom.
5.  Follow just one thought leader you admire most. Pull out their top ideas and implement them. Document their contributions giving them full credit. I have found that after a year of taking Seth Godin’s advice I doubled my revenue. Focusing on just one leader at a time really helps you leverage. Focus creates leverage.

What other ideas to you have? Feel free to riff away!

On my Networlding site I offer three products: 1) a LinkedIn tutorial guide, 2) a checklist for companies looking at implementing a social media campaign and 3) a guide for thought leaders who want to publish books.

When someone requests one or more of the guides, I send them a note thanking them for their request and sharing that I respond personally to every request. I also offer them a no-obligation fifteen minute phone chat if they choose. My goal is to find out if they really are interested and then if they are ready, willing and able to start working with me and my team, now or at some future date.

At the very least I have taken the time to create a more personal touch. Goodwill can go a long way and I know not everyone who ventures on my site is going to become a client. But what I have seen is that this approach has shown me what people are searching most for–in my case they are interested most in publishing books and second, in developing their thought leadership through social media and online marketing initiatives.

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I have had several people ask why I accepted the invitation to serve on the Advisory Board of Social Media Week Chicago. While my first response is usually look at the list of names I’m serving alongside and you’ll get your answer, I can honestly say that I think I have something unique to contribute. Specifically, I see the potential of digital publishing in the social media as a largely untapped, vulnerable resource that is just waiting to be unleashed.

This summer, Borders declared bankruptcy and closed its doors. This might have come as a shock for some but CEO Mike Edwards said it perfectly in the email sent to faithful customers explaining the demise of what seemed like a bulwark in the book selling industry: “The fact is that Borders has been facing headwinds for quite some time, including a rapidly changing book industry, the eReader revolution, and a turbulent economy.” Basically, the company didn’t see the potential of digital publishing.

One of my passions and commitments is creating an ongoing social media innovation environment in the city of Chicago. I believe that Networlding is positioned to continually re-invent itself as we further the reaches of social media into markets all over the world. Upon joining such a leadership team as is represented on the board, I bring the opportunity of digital media not only to the city of Chicago but to the world as hundreds of thousands of men and women will tune in to discover the future of social media.

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I just finished our first “Worlds Biggest Book Club” with our first book, and still free on Kindle for 18 more days, called “Do the Work” by Steven Pressfield whose credits include a number of movies including “The Legend of Baggar Vance.” In that movie we are inspired by the following dialogue:

Bagger Vance: See, the trick is… to find your swing…
Rannulph Junuh: What’d you say?…
Bagger Vance: Well you lost your swing… We got to go find it… Now it’s somewhere… in the harmony… of all that is… All that was… All that will be…

In Steven Pressfield’s new book, “Do the Work” you will just as powerfully get inspired by statements like, “The ‘Real You’ Must Due the ‘Resistance You’” and

“The Opposite of Resistance is Assistance.” There are so many amazing ideas and suggestions in this book that you MUST go read it, NOW, TODAY.

This is where a reference to my son comes in. Please read on and see if you see the connection:

If you had a second chance at life, would you recognize it? Would you do everything in your power to live as if there were no tomorrow?

Last year the threat of “no tomorrow” was very real for me, but the universe offered up a gift, an opportunity to learn the true nature of acceptance and gratitude. Although disguised as a malicious malady, it was no less rewarding to receive, and I am a better person because of it. I learned so much about myself, the world and my relationship to it. Cancer is increasingly becoming a household name and will continue to touch our lives as all things get harder, better, faster, stronger.

It’s been one year and I’m well. In fact, I haven’t felt this strong since college, so I thought this is as good a time as any to ride my bicycle from Chicago to the Panama Canal. That’s 3,000 miles, 6 weeks, 9 countries. I’ve been training for the last 4 months, and even got a job as a bike courier during the day for efficiency’s sake. I will take off Sunday May 8th at 9am from The Bean at Millenium Park. If your in the neighborhood, stop by and see me off.

I’m going to maintain a travel log throughout the trip, documenting the unique and curious experiences I encounter along the way. If you have experience in places on the route, or know of anyone/anything I simply must see, don’t hesitate to let me know! I can use all the support I can get. I’m getting incredibly excited as my departure draws near and I’d like to invite you to follow me on the Interweb. You can visit www.onegraham.tumblr.com for more info. Click the links at the top of the website for details.

I look forward to seeing you when I return on June 24th. Until then, don’t stop ’til you get enough.

All my best,
Graham Lee Giovagnoli
www.onegraham.tumblr.com

———As a mother, as a coach, mentor, speaker and advocate of young people trying to get a good start in life, I hope you can take some inspiration away from Graham. . . . I know I did.

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His networking skills began their steady growth with this job; soon he became familiar with Pittsburgh’s most important figures.  Through this he met Thomas A. Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, who decided to hire him as a secretary.  Again he quickly advanced through the company and Scott taught him about the railroad business while helping him make his first investments (although not without ulterior motives).  Carnegie’s investments slowly grew and he eventually opened his own steel rail company while continuing to diversify his other investments in a variety of businesses.

Connections with other well-known figures were vital, and so Carnegie built up a wide network of contacts to rely on.  Not content with just owning a steel empire, Carnegie also wrote a variety of literary articles and stated his strong views on philanthropy.  His donations to philanthropic purposes ranged widely; however, there was a heavy emphasis on the building of public libraries and other structures for colleges in both the United States and Scotland.  When all was said and done, he had given away more than $350 million (in 2005 this would have been around $4.3 billion).  Carnegie believed that one should try to learn as much as possible, make as much money as possible, and then give that money away to good causes:  for him people who held on to their money was an act to be considered abominable.  There is no doubt that his ability to connect with people and foster meaningful relationships was a major factor in his advancement in the many industries he pursued.

The first step of Networlding is to choose your top four values and then prioritize them? For example, our values are: 1) making a difference,  2) integrity, 3) collaboration, 4) innovation. What are you top values? What drives you each day?

Take about a week or two to figure out your value priorities. Then, a good tip would be to go on LinkedIn and search on the Advanced People Search Page (hint: that link to the far right at the top of your HOME page on LinkedIn). Here, you can search keyword terms  such as “integrity” and “innovation.” You will find like-valued people this way–people who you can partner with to build your respective networks and realize better opportunities faster.

Step #2: Figure Out Who You Already Know Who Could be a Primary Circle Partner

Pick the current people you know–up to five, whom you think would have similar or complementary values. Then, set up times to meet these people. If they are unavailable for the longer term, put them into what we call your “Secondary Circle” where you can connect with them, perhaps, every three months.

Carol had an informal primary circle before she became involved with Networlding. However, when she decided to leave her job to attend graduate school she felt little support from her colleagues or her boss. Additionally, many of those she had in her professional network prior to her transition did not share her values nor did they understand why a successful woman would want to return to school later in life.

Carol decided to develop a new primary circle. To do this, she surrounded herself with friends and colleagues who shared her values. Her new primary circle included personal friends who had also experienced recent career changes and newly made friends who were her grad school peers. Carol was able to find the Networlding Seven Levels of Support (see Step #4) in her personal friends, her peers and her professors. Carol is fortunate enough to see many of these friends daily but she keeps in contact at least weekly with everyone in her primary circle.

To inspire you, check out the huge movement Seth Godin is starting with his new Domino Project Team (I’m a part of the 65-person team!) and the make-a-difference, book publishing campaign he is igniting around the world with 65 of the most passionate creative business, social media experts around the world.

Keep re-evaluating the effectiveness of your efforts. Your network is not just your pipeline to opportunities. It is now your net to all opportunities. Take time today to build those connections that count.

Getting introduced to others is just the beginning. the process of staying connected, “co-creating” opportunities with others following an initial meeting, is what the best-of-the-best networking is all about. Don’t be afraid that you don’t have anything to offer today. you don’t need to:

• Have an in-depth knowledge of another’s industry
• Have any current leads or referrals to give
• Have to manipulate the conversation to get the other party
• to focus on your needs
• Have to feel as though you are pushy
• Have to offer anything more than appreciation for the other person in the beginning and then be on the look out for opportunities for those with whom you network going forward

Finally, note that, today, the introduction is the new referral. You don’t have to be referred to carry additional influence or klout with a solid introduction. And for my bonus tip, go one more step. Provide a good introduction for those you ask to introduce you.

For example, if I ask someone to introduce me, I send them the following request,  ”I would like you to meet Melissa. Melissa is the author of thirteen books, four that have been on best-seller lists. Her greatest strength is helping thought leaders grow themselves and their organizations through social media and publishing. She and her firm, Networlding, have helped more than 100 top thought leaders grow their platforms through social media marketing, book publishing and, now, speaking.”

Now do the same for yourself. What can I say about you to get others interested in connecting with you? Write me an introduction and you are many steps ahead of the pack.

We are looking for the best Networlding businesses around the U.S.

How do you know if a business is a great Networlding company?

Please answer the following questions about the company or companies that you think are the best places to Networld.

Help us by naming and answering the following questions for five or more companies and and once a month three winners will receive a gift certificate to Staples for $50.

* Please keep your open-ended responses to two-sentences or less.

1. Does your nominated company have a broad base of pro-active networking employees who come from a place of values? If so, how many can you identify? (Hint: LinkedIn is a great tool to find these people. Hint. Hint: You can go to the “Advanced People Search” page on LinkedIn and type in words like “change agent” and/or “integrity,” for example, to locate people who lead from a strong set of noble values.

2. Does the company value diversity? How does the company show it?

3. Does the company have a positive public perception? How does the company give back to the community?

4. Do the employees of the company “triad”–the term used in the book Tribal Leadership. This is a networking technique that effective leaders use to connect and then refer people they know to one other where it makes most sense with the greatest possibility of success for the two connecting as well as others that could be impacted by their connection.  Think Warren Buffett being connected to Bill Gates by someone who knew them both. These connections are made based on common interests, values, and projects that people you know might want to collaborate on.

5. Open Ideas. Is there something your nomination does that is novel? Tell us about the uniqueness of your nomination

Please have your nominations and answers in by the end of the month.

From your responses we will compile a list of the best Networlding companies across the country!
If you have any questions please email me at melissa @ networlding.com.

After 10 years of development, over 3000 people taken through the seven-step Networlding process, more than 30 Fortune 1000 and Fortune 500 companies involved in Networlding in some form and a list of 12,000 various social media followers, we are excited to share our decade of learnings and insights. With forty chapters filled with one story after another showcasing the many principles of Networlding, this new book should be helpful to you in taking your social media and social networking initiatives up many levels.

Probably the most exciting thing I can offer right now is that you can subscribe to the Networlding newsletter or blog and especially to our Blog Talk Radio show where we are going through the entire book, co-creating it (Step #6 of Networlding) weekly, at least two chapters a week. It’s my idea–a unique way to write a book. After we get done with each show, we have it transcribed and then add to it. The shows will only be up for a couple of months and then we’ll take them down. So, if you are interested, be sure to listen by clicking here!

Following is a bio of Jocelyn for you to get reacquainted with her work.

Jocelyn Carter-Miller is President of TechEdVent tures, a community empow werment firm that educates and inspires children, families, and the broader community through the development and management of charter schools s, community-based programs, and other enterprises. Using state¬of-the-aart business strategies, technology resources and creative partnerships, Tech EdVentures provides operations m management, program development, marketing, training, and community relationship building to develop p the enterprises that promote community and d economic renewal.

Tech EdVentures enterprises include the Lauderdale Lakes Educational Complex which encompasses Smart School Charter Middle School (Grades 6-8), Eagle Charter Academy (Grades 6-12), First Tee of Broward County (golf and character-building program) and SOAR (fund development).

Prior to joining Tech EdVentures, Jocelyn was Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Office Depot, Inc., where she managed marketing efforts across its retail, cont tract, catalog and e-commerce businesses. Formerly, Jocelyn served as Motorola Corporate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer; Vice President of Latin American and Caribbean Operations, and Director of European, Middle East and African Operations for the Motorola International Networks Division; and Vice President of Marketing and Prod duct Development for Mattel.

Jocelyn has co-authored with Melissa Giovagnoli the book Networlding: Building Relationships and Opportunities for Success, published by Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Jocelyn has an MBA degree from the University of Chicago, a BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois and is a CPA. She serves on the Board of Directors of Principal Financial Group, Inc., InterPublic Group, Netgear, Inc. and non-profit o organizations.

Jocelyn is married to Edward Miller, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Tech EdVentures, and has two daughters, Alexis and Kimberly.