Power Meme #1: Networking Tips from the White House
August 13, 2007 – 11:49 pm | by Carl Zetterlund
Power Memes are powerful ideas written by other bloggers and writers. A meme is defined as a unit of cultural transmission. By sharing other great articles, I am transmitting a unit of culture. The question is how far will my transmission go? Also keep in mind that everything I write is a meme.
My first Power Meme goes to Tim Ferriss’ post about Networking Tips from the White House. You may know Tim for writing his recent #1 New York Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Anyway, the post features an interview with Christine Comaford-Lynch. To give her some social proof, she has started 5 successful companies, been called “super high-bandwidth” by Bill Gates, and consulted with the Clinton and Bush administrations. To top it off, she never graduated from high school. I already like her.
In the interview, she basically talks about networking from a character perspective. She says that people who build powerful networks are genuinely charismatic people. No matter how unimportant you may seem, they will give you a feeling that they care when you first meet them. For example, she mentions that Bill Clinton is very focused yet also has the softer southern charm as well as always following up with people he meets. Although, I bet he has assistants to help him.
This reminds me that I really need to read Bill Clinton’s auto-biography. His lip biting technique alone is something to spend a day or two on. For those you don’t know, he will bite his lower lip as a way to show he is restraining emotion. For this and much more, I have always regarded him as someone who is a master at body language.
I also find it interesting that Christine labels the two types of networkers, palm up and palm down. She must be reading body language books because those are classic gestures. Having palms up shows you are a open and genuine person, while having palms down shows you have something to hide or are threatening.
She also offers great tips on how to start meeting more people. My favorite is to “fall in love with people”. It doesn’t mean you should literally fall in love with them, but it means you should be genuinely be interested in fellow humans. This is because no matter how poor, rich, famous, or unknown, everyone has a fascinating story about their life. By thinking this way, you will convey a genuine appreciation for others, which will help others like you. You never know when meet someone who could hold the key for your future. The best relationships are those forged outside of the business world since many successful people are afraid of being manipulated.
The most important point in the post is that great people act differently from the masses. She mentions people like Larry Ellison, Bill Gates, and Bill Clinton have this sort of super confidence aura. They have a core character that is unbreakable. It essentially means they are not easily affected by the whims of life. They know what they want and go for it. They especially do not let people get them down.
Anyway, go check out the post and make sure to subscribe to Tim Ferriss’ blog. It’s one of the best.
Carl
P.S. Christine recently wrote a book called Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality
