Why your board network must include weak tie connections

Previously, I established that over 65% of people in the UK are appointed to a board through personal connections that are not considered as strong ties (close-knit individuals). So that leads one to ask, “What connections will help me get a board appointment?”. The answer is weak ties. So when building your board or Non-Executive Director (NED) network, it is essential to include weak ties. Not only are they surprisingly easy to establish, but they can also make a real difference to the trajectory of your board career.

The conceptual framework

According to a well-respected journalist, Malcolm Gladwell, it is your Weak Ties that make you powerful. Whilst he was not referring directly to the board appointment process, his theories and conclusions should be applied. He points to sociologist Mark Granovetter (Stanford University), whose classic study “Getting a Job” is renowned. The study surveyed Boston workers and found that 56% got jobs through a personal connection. Interestingly, most of those connections were weak ties. Only 17% of people who got a job through a personal connection reported that the contact was frequent or considered a close connection.

That means 83% of people who gained a job through a connection saw that person rarely or infrequently – your ‘weak ties’. People were nearly three times as likely to have found their job through a weak tie than through an advertisement, headhunter or other formal avenues. So that old saying seems to ring true: “Success is largely about who you know, not what you know.” However, I can assure you that when it comes to gaining a NED appointment, success comes when you focus on the right “who.”

Based on these findings and my own board appointment studies, it appears that around 53% of all board appointments in the UK occur through personal connections that you rarely or infrequently see or engage with. I call these connections your weak ties. Thinking back to why strong ties are unlikely to help you get on a board, the power and value of weak ties should revolutionise the way you search for a board appointment.

Who are your weak ties?

Weak ties within your board network can be contacts or connectors. Contacts are people you know, even if not very well. Connectors are people that you want to connect with (or you are aware of) because you believe they can link you to other valuable people or opportunities.

Unlike your strong ties, weak ties are particularly powerful because they come without any preconceived notions of who you are or what you offer. They also come with no emotional or professional attachment. An offer to help is more likely as they see no risk to your relationship and others by doing so.

How to establish weak ties & build your board network

Many of us are hardwired to hate networking, especially when we are building relationships to promote our careers. However, the very nature of a weak tie makes the networking process easier and less stressful. It does not require thick skin or attending never-ending, laborious networking events. Weak tie networking often involves brief and fleeting interactions that can yield meaningful outcomes.

A chance meeting at a social dinner event or at soccer training with the kids can lead to a board appointment. Several months ago, a client recounted a story of how he was appointed to a board after going on an impromptu sailing trip with the father (whom he had never met) of his daughter’s school friend. They got talking about what the other did. As a result of the conversation, an opportunity arose, and he was offered a position on the board. Sometimes it can be just that easy!

Here are six steps to make weak-tie board networking work for you!

1. It starts with the right board pitch. You need to be able to define what value you can add at board level. Also, what board roles are you looking for, and what can you offer? You need to be able to articulate it all, in any situation, to anyone, in a compelling fashion, in a 30-second pitch.
2. Know which organisations are right for you. This is important. If you don’t know which organisations are likely to appoint you, then developing the right connections will be near impossible. So, write out a list of 12 target companies you think you can and want to be appointed to the board of.
3. Identify relevant current and potential weak ties. Once you know your target organisations, research who you know and need to know. Include those who have a connection with the current or past board members of your targets. Develop a spreadsheet with their names and contact details.
4. Research to find common ground. Establishing a weak tie connection can be more comfortable and successful if you have commonalities or an ice-breaker to initiate a conversation or engagement. Passion for a common cause, industry or organisation is always a good one. Research the person you want to connect with – what else do they do, what other boards do they sit on, and who do you know in common?
5. Be inquisitive and helpful. Please don’t focus on the value you can extract from this weak tie by adding them to your board network. Instead, focus on the exact opposite – the value you can give them. This approach not only feels more comfortable to most people but also makes one appear to be someone seeking to develop a genuine relationship or connection. ‘How can I help?’ is my mantra… it might work for you as well.
6. Use LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the default tool you should be using to find, research, connect and nurture your weak tie board network. Unlike traditional networking events, it is always open, established for the purpose of professional networking, and offers a near-endless supply of potential weak ties. Reach out to the people you want to connect with and introduce yourself with an offer of help. If they are local, ask if you could buy them a coffee. It is super simple to do, and if you don’t hear back, there is no embarrassment or sense of rejection.

How can we help?

Developing a list of your current and potential weak ties, along with strategies for reaching out to them, is a critical element of our Board Appointment Training series. The series comprises 8+ hours of hands-on training, along with templates and language to create powerful Weak ties. It is included in our Executive Membership Package.

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