UpMo posts a follow up to their study of elite networkers that forces a few powerful issues.
The larger your network, the harder it is to create powerful advocates. Advocates are defined as people that can help you. Help. Not hurt. Are their people in your network hurting you because they are really just acquaintances and not advocates? I like that term: advocate.
Here is how UpMo defines an advocate:
“our network’s value should be measured in its ability to help you find,
deliver and close opportunities. If your network has dated or
inappropriate information, how will it bring you what you want? Strong
ties — mutually beneficial and “referrable” relationships — will bring
those bang-on opportunities. The opportunity holders in your network
will be happy to help you because they know you will reciprocate.”
I think I need to go trim LinkedIn. 
2 responses so far ↓
1 Hannah Morgan, Career Sherpa // Jan 19, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Lally, glad to see you sharing UpMo stuff. I don’t think you have to delete contacts…just make sure that you are always using your strongest advocates first. You just never know who knows who and that might be all it takes. It is balance. Spend the most time linking with the strongest advocates. Also spend time identifying who should become an advocate of yours. These are the A list folks. B list and C list get less time, but should all still know!
2 Jessica // Jan 19, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Hello Mike and Hannah,
Thanks for your comments. In terms of how to best spend your networking time, it’s a good idea to differentiate contacts, colleagues and comrades. The following post outlines how to figure out who fits into each group.
http://www.upmo.com/blog/contacts-colleagues-and-comrades-know-your-network
It also outlines specific ways to ask your comrades — your inner circle of professional friends — to help you with your career. One example: Ask your comrades to help you refine your career story or elevator pitch. They can tell you if you’re hitting the all the right points.
Jessica Howard
http://www.upmo.com/blog/
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