Should You Have A Wide And Diverse Network?

CREATED BY JACKY SHERMAN Published: 09/07/2025 @ 09:01AM #NetworkingInNorthampton #MiltonKeynesConnections #BusinessNetworkingPro #LocalNetworker #NetworkingExpert

People who meet me in Northampton and Milton Keynes often say that I seem to know everyone who goes out networking for their business. It's not true, of course ...

Wide and diverse network, Connections reach far and wide, Strength in diversity

There are over 65 million people in the UK, and according to the Federation of Small Businesses, 5.5 million of those are running businesses. Even if you narrow that down to just Northampton and Milton Keynes, my business area, that's over 370,000 businesses, and I certainly don't know them all.

So why do people have that impression?

Well, whoever they want to meet, I probably know someone who knows that person. Or failing that, I know someone who knows someone who knows someone, who knows that person. After all, that's how a network works, right? Research indicates that humans are psychologically capable of maintaining approximately 150 relationships. This is known as Dunbar's number, and I've posted about this before.

Well, imagine that I have 150 business relationships, and those people also know 150 other people ... that's 22,500. Now, if each of those 22,500 people knows 150 different people, that's a total network of 3,375,000 people. In reality, some of those people will overlap and some will not be in business, but even if you half that to 75 people, that's still over 400,000 individuals who you have access to.

Everyone who is in business will quite quickly acquire
more than 75 people in their database!

Customers, clients, colleagues, suppliers, event attendees, social media connections, others they do business with personally, friends and relations; the list goes on. So they know just as many people in business as I do. Oh dear, I'm not extraordinary at all; everyone else in business, whether they're using it effectively or not, has a broad and diverse network.

What is different for those of us who have a reputation for knowing everyone is our willingness to share those contacts. We're givers by nature and incorporate giving as part of our business strategy. We believe that we will be more successful if we're generous and share our network with others.

The marvellous thing about that is that it appears that we are right. Adam Grant's research detailed in his book 'Give and Take' demonstrates that the most successful people in business are high givers.

However, there is a fine line between being generous
and being used by others!

Yes, in a world of givers, there are also takers who take advantage. Therefore, successful people have a strategy in place for the individuals they include in their close business network. They ensure that the 150 people on whom they focus their time and effort are also high givers.

The answer to my question is that you already have a broad and diverse network; now add some giving tactics around how you use it. Give because you can. Take an interest in the people you know, find out what their dreams, plans, interests, concerns and challenges are. Seek out ways you can help that person, and if you can't help directly, put them in touch with others who can.

Surround yourself with other high givers. They might not be able to give to you, but if your network is comprised of givers who also give to other givers, then you can actually tap into the pool of over 400,000 people you collectively know.

How will you recognise a high giver when you meet
them? Look for giving behaviours!

Do they give you time to talk and keep their attention on you? Are they interested in what you have to say? Do they ask questions to deepen their own understanding? Do they offer help almost immediately? Most likely something small.

For example, providing relevant information that points you in the right direction, inviting you to something (without selling to you), or introducing you to someone who can help. Have they helped others you know? Are they known as someone who knows everyone? Equally, do they give you the opportunity to give back? Do they share their need for help, too?

It's a great compliment to be asked for advice or help. Build your wide and diverse network full of people like this, and soon you'll have a reputation as someone who knows everyone, is helpful and generous and worth helping in return. What a fantastic way to build your business.

Until next time ...

JACKY SHERMAN
Join my mailing list! Click here and be one of the first to know when I publish a new blog post!

Share the blog love ...

Buffer Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest WhatsApp #NetworkingInNorthampton #MiltonKeynesConnections #BusinessNetworkingPro #LocalNetworker #NetworkingExpert

More blog posts for you to enjoy ...
		Preparing to retire: practical advice for small business owners Thinking about retiring from your business can feel a bit surreal. For many small business owners in the UK, the line between 'work' and 'life' has been blurry for years - so stepping back takes more than just choosing a date...
		Networking Skills: The Benefits Of Focus In Your Networking Once again this week, I was drawn into a debate about whether to appeal to a wide range of clients or focus on a tight target market. It's a fundamental networking skill to know what you want ......
		Learning With My Clients I had a lovely email when I first published this blog post from one of my clients, a graphic designer of many years, but new to running his own business and feeling lost in how to generate clients ......
		Let's Look At Things Through The Round Window If you grew up in Britain in the 60s, 70s and 80s, the chances are the words ''through the round window'' will take you right back to the wonderful world of Play School ......
		The Art Of Bowing Out Gracefully Conceived on your kitchen table, down the pub, after a particularly frustrating meeting with your boss, or that awful moment when you were told you were being made redundant, your business became your baby ......
		How to be happy retiring from your consultancy, without losing yourself What makes a happy retirement when you've been in consultancy for years? It's less about stopping work and more about designing your identity, boundaries and next mission. Here's a clear, friendly way to exit well without bec...
		Networking: I Don't Do Small Talk! I wish I had a pound for every time I've heard that. It's a common reason given by people who dislike networking because they see the banality of talking about nothing ......
		Becoming a consultant: 8 foundational steps for leaving corporate life with confidence Leaving the corporate world after many years can feel a little like stepping off a high-speed train into open countryside. The pace, structure, and predictability you've known suddenly give way to freedom, and perhaps a touch...

Other bloggers you may like ...
		Never miss a follow-up with YourPCM's daily Red List emails Posted by Steffi Lewis on https://www.yourpcm.uk Running a small business often feels like spinning lots of plates. There are conversations to follow up, promises to keep, and opportunities quietly w ...
		Xero Smart Document Capture for faster, more accurate bookkeeping Posted by Alison Mead on https://blog.siliconbullet.com Xero Smart Document Capture makes bookkeeping feel much lighter by turning paper trails into usable data fast. It helps bookkeepers keep their clients ...
		Penalties for MTD for Income Tax become clearer for 2026 Posted by Roger Eddowes on https://blog.essendonaccounts.co.uk From what I've read, penalties for MTD for Income Tax are starting to look much less mysterious. The main message is simple: you get a penalty if you ...
		Welcome to the new sBlogIt! Your done-for-you marketing channel Posted by Steffi Lewis on https://www.sblogit.com If you've ever sat staring at a blank screen wondering what to post, you're not alone. Blogging is one of the most powerful tools a business has, yet ...