Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The Reverse Connections Twist

A businessman opening a business newspaper



[Photo by Olu Eletu at Unsplash]


I've frequently seen a twist on the famed benefit of having connections. Call it "reverse connections" or the benefit of not having connections.

For example, a relative of an influential executive wanted a job with the organization. The executive made it clear that no preference was to be shown and the staff took him at his word. In fact, they were so careful in doing so that the process was actually slanted against the young man. 

Here's another example: a good friend of a board member was mentioned as a possible candidate for a position on the board. When the board member heard that, he firmly opposed the idea, saying, "The last thing I want is the perception that I'm slipping my friends into board slots."

I realize that these are exceptions to the "connections" rule but it is surprising how often a "reverse connections" advantage kicks in. "We don't know this person" can translate into "We don't have any built-in reservations about the individual."

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