What Is Your Social Networking Style?

Research has found that conveners tend to be less lonely. In networks of conveners, where everyone knows each other, people also tend to have higher levels of trust in each other.

The downside of convening networks is that their members may have less exposure to new ideas.

Being a broker is likely to benefit us in contexts where innovation and creativity are valued, since brokers serve as the connecting link between groups with different ideas and experiences.

Brokers also appear to have better work-life balance, which may be due to their tendency to keep work and home life separate.

Expansionists’ popularity can help them make important professional connections. Research suggests that we’re likely to find jobs through people we know, but particularly through acquaintances (who know about opportunities we don’t) rather than close friends or family.

However, expansionists’ large numbers of connections can also put them at risk for burnout from the many demands on their time.

If you’re feeling like your social skills are a bit rusty or the prospect of attending a networking mixer has always put butterflies in your stomach, consider this:

• In social interactions, we tend to think others are judging us more critically than they actually are.
• Social skills are just that—skills—and we can improve on them with practice.
• If you have a tendency to be self-conscious during social interactions, try to flip the focus of your attention to the other person and learn about them.