The 29% Solution - A Book Review

Have you heard that everyone in the world is separated by just six people? What’s interesting is how the six degrees of separation was derived. It is based on a set of experiments done by Stanley Milgram. The experiments were designed using letters sent across the country to recipients that were not known to the original sender. Each person was to forward the letter to someone they knew in the hope that it gets closer to the intended recipient. The average number of links from the originator to the final recipients was five or six, with the majority reaching within the range of two to ten. Since the average was six, the saying six degrees of separation was born. Interestingly, the most successful study only had 29% of the final recipients receiving the package. That means 71% of the study was a failure. 

Ivan Misner, Ph.D. wrote a book about networking and how everyone can become one of the 29% of successful networkers that really can be separated from the rest of the world by six degrees. Mr. Misner states: 

With reading, training, and coaching, people can develop their networking skills, increase their connections and become a part of the roughly 29 percent of people who are, in fact, separated from the rest of the world by just six degrees. 

The book then shares a 52 week strategy on how to become a better networker. I especially like the week 15 strategy, “Be a Value-Added Friend.” This really hits home in our day of Twitter and Facebook. It’s about gaining credibility and growing deeper in relationship with key contacts by providing them value. It is this type of networking that has made some so successful. Key ways to connect extend beyond the meet and greet networking events. It’s about connecting at other social events and getting together in different settings. It has been my experience that you do not know someone until you’ve broken bread together. And the level of community and trust increases dramatically when you are both involved in a neutral activity (charitable event, golfing, other social activity). 

Each chapter of this little gem is about four pages long. It is meant to be a workbook that can be gone through from beginning to end or used piecemeal as one sees fit. Each chapter ends with a small set of action steps. Here are the action steps for week 15 (paraphrased): 

Choose one person with whom you have a strong relationship with and ask the following questions: 
1. What would you like to accomplish with your business this year? 
2. What are your challenges this year? 
3. What is standing in the way of you meeting your goals? 
4. How can I help you? 
5. What do you need to help you be successful? 

The object is to really listen and try to find ways to provide value to that person. Once you’ve done this with one person in your network, you can move on to additional people. 
Networking is a key component of a successful business. Ivan Misner, Ph.D. provides simple step by step instructions on how to develop a strong valuable network. I highly recommend picking up a copy of his book, T he 29% Solution.