Who do you know?  Can you benefit each other in a mutually exclusive way?  Can your benefits gained from a relationship with another individual, increase the likelihood of benefitting many others down the line?

Why do I ask?

Because you need or should give some consideration to the untapped power of energy harnessed from “what you do with who you know”

You could literally change the world.  Bill Gates did it with Microsoft.  Steve Jobs did it with Apple.  Ross Perot did it with EDS.  Lee Iacocca did it with Ford & Chrysler.  Thomas Edison did it with General Electric . . .

Did what?

They all leveraged the power from “who you know” to change their experience of the world, while humanity benefits from their visionary expertise in serving an unmet need.  Gates, Jobs, Perot, Iacocca, Edison . . . the list could go on –

The secret to success isn’t just who you know, but what you do with who you know.

What are you passionate about?  Have you ever joined a group with other people who have the same passion?  This is a great way to connect with other like-minded people and inspire your creative thoughts to new heights of uncharted terrain.  Are you always learning something new from who you know?  Every day is an opportunity for new learning experience, as well as every person you communicate with daily, is an opportunity to grow.

It is important to think about who you know in your personal, professional network.  Attorney Steve Reifman has drilled his “PPN” down to categories of organization such as colleagues, family, friends, loose associates, outer circle acquaintance, etc.  Then when Steve desires to communicate to a segment of his organized personal, professional network, he can easily craft a message and send it out to the appropriate tribes of influence that he belongs to.

Steve built this personalized system of communication for himself and his practice because he asked himself – “Who do you know?”  That simple question has morphed through the years into the creation of systems tools in the practice of law—all funneled to address the answering of this basic question – “Who do you know?”

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Tipping Point”, the author focuses on the “Connectors” and “Mavens” you know.  This small group of people in your overall, personal, professional network, are the only one’s you really need to talk to, to spread the word on your latest undertaking.  Why?  Because these few elite people have the persuasive personality that spreads the word and gets the message out, connects hitherto unknown resources to constructively leverage and optimize situations, circumstances and events.

What is the tipping point to success for you?  Do you have a tribe to lead?

In Seth Godin’s books, “The Purple Cow” and “Tribes”, the author writes about standing out by being ‘Remarkable”, and that “Tribes need Leaders”.  When does a group become a tribe?  When the group is organized around a leader, the chief.  You are your own chief of your own tribe.  How can you bring constructive benefits to those members in your tribe?  List out the ways you can bring genuine service and help to others.  How can you initiate an improvement of things in your organization?  What can you do right now to make things better for others?

Who do you know?

From the book “Influencer – The Power to Change Anything”, making change inevitable is a keystone to influencing success.  What is your plan?  Who are you working with to execute the plan well?  Who do you need to be connected with to make the implementation go smoother?

What can you change right now that would be good for everyone in the orbits you circle?  Then do it.  Remember – Change is driven by constructive passion.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote – “Who shall set a limit to the influence of a human being?”  And this is truly the point here.  You can change anything, do anything, be anything you want to.  Past barriers have been dissolved. The internet has created a new paradigm. Get yourself connected and on your way.

Author Josh Linkner asks in his book, “Disciplined Dreaming”, – “Are you ready to become a disruptive force of change?”  Josh goes on to make the case for creativity – “The trending need for creativity is high and creative ability is low, therefore we have a significant creativity gap.  At the end of the day, the only sustainable competitive advantage—for individuals and companies—is creativity.”

Be an agent of constructive change that serves others.  What is your passion?  Create your life to order in the fashion you design exclusively to fit only you.

Who do you know?