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Beyond LinkedIn: Why Strong Relationships Beat Big Networks
If you’re ambitious and care about job security, you already know one truth: your network matters. But here’s a harder truth—what matters more than the size of your network is the strength of the relationships within it.
Most of us have hundreds, if not thousands, of connections on LinkedIn. But if you lost your job tomorrow, how many of those people could you call and count on for help? For most, the number is much smaller than the headline figure on their profile. The difference between people who merely “collect”contacts and those who actively strengthen them is the difference between being stuck and landing new opportunities fast.
In the past, you could grab a coffee with your manager, join after-work drinks with colleagues or bump into someone in the hallway. Those unplanned interactions helped deepen working relationships in very human ways. Today, especially post-COVID, much of our working world is virtual. Colleagues are spread across geographies and our interactions are mostly digital and transactional.
This makes relationship-building harder—but also more valuable.
Metcalfe’s Law—originally coined to describe telecommunications—says that the value of a network grows exponentially with each new connection. It explains why the internet, social media and messaging apps exploded in power as more people joined.
The same principle applies to your career. The more meaningful connections you have, the greater your reach, access to opportunities and long-term security. But here’s the catch: not all connections are equal. A thousand weak ties don’t match the power of 10 strong ones.
A meaningful connection isn’t just knowing someone’s job title. It’s about:
· Understanding how you and they work best.
· Appreciating differences as assets rather than barriers.
· Nurturing the relationship with consistent, thoughtful communication.
· Personalizing how you interact so it resonates with them.
Meaningful connections take effort—but they’re the ones that create resilience in your career.
This is where Ask Olivia comes in. Her Connection feature goes beyond just linking two people in a network. Once connected, both individuals agree to use Olivia as a mutual coach.
Olivia helps you understand each other’s working styles, strengths and blind spots. She gives guidance on how to communicate in a way that lands—whether through email, chat or even in-person. In effect, she helps you turn a virtual contact into a personalized, trusted connection.
Because in today’s working world, it’s not enough to have a network. You need a network of people who know you, trust you, and want you to succeed. That’s the difference between uncertainty and security, between being replaceable and being indispensable.
It’s shared understanding of work styles, appreciation of differences, thoughtful communication, and tailored interactions—made easier with Olivia’s coaching.
Absolutely. Even strong relationships have friction points. Olivia surfaces blind spots and suggests small adjustments that compound into smoother collaboration.
Yes. A connection becomes “active” only when both of you agree to use Olivia as your mutual coach. That way the guidance is balanced, respectful and useful to both sides.
