I may have been a little obscure in my last post.

Malcom Gladwell in [1] The Tipping Point wrote about a particular type of person (or personality) who he describes as a ‘connector’. These connectors seem to know many people, from many different walks of life. While some people will have a close nit group of friends, these people seem to know, and by known by a much larger group.

So let’s say that you are a plumber, and you need to find a bath made of solid gold. You’ve asked all your usual suppliers and who are unable to help (most likely laughed at you for even asking). Then you think to yourself, who do I know who might know? So you ring Mary, the PA of a friend of yours. She listens carefully to your request, then tells you she will call you back. She does so, thirty minutes later, with a phone number.

Mary is a connector. Mary is the go-to gal when there is a problem. Within every single company I’ve worked in, for or with, there is someone like Mary. The person you go to when the copier is broken. The person you go to when you are not sure of the spelling of someone’s name. The person you go to when you need to find out what would be a good birthday gift…

Now, once you call Mary, you have delegated to her the job of finding a bath supplier. You may continue to search on your own, but will call her back if she doesn’t call you.

Nothing really new there - we all know someone like that. It’s not until Mary calls us back that things begin to get really interesting.

Three months later, you are sleeping in, having taken 2 months off after installing the bath, and get a call from Mary. “I need some help,” she says “I have a friend who is looking for a good plumber on short notice. Are you able to help, or do you know someone who can?”

Chances are your immediate response to that request will be something like; Yes I can do it. You owe her. She is now calling in the favour. Mary, thanks to the reciprocity principle has become the delegator.

Don’t take my word for it, Robert Cialdini in his book [2] Influence has done all the research you’ll ever need on this.

Now everyone is happy. You have repaid your debt to Mary. Mary’s friend has a good plumber. And Mary has strengthened two of her connections - Thanks again to the reciprocity principle, you will be more likely to ask Mary for help, and also accept her calls in the future.

You already know who in your circle of influence is the connector. You may actually know several. The question that sticks in my mind is; “How did you know to go to them in the first place?”

Technorati Tags: [3] Business, [4] Change, [5] Cialdini, [6] Gladwell, [7] Persuasion, [8] Psychology