I recently read Bowling Alone by Dr. Robert Putnam where he mentions two types of networking: Bridging and Bonding. Bridging networks allow you to connect more dots and reach out to new and different contacts. Bonding networks help you build deeper relationships with the existing contacts you already have. Some see this as quantity vs. quality. Both are important. Groupsites are a tool that can both “bridge” and “bond.”
As a social species, we all communicate, share and network to make things happen. It’s what we do. Some of us communicate a little louder and faster than others (guilty as charged) and some of us have the wisdom to listen first and then choose their responses wisely.
Some of us are looking to find others while some of us are looking to be found. All of us are trying to make things happen.
Whatever your personal communication style, we believe groups matter. Groups help provide the context for what we are sharing and define a purpose for what we hope to achieve. Trying to have fun? Raise money? Meet a project deadline? Help others? A Groupsite is the perfect tool to help tap into the wisdom of groups. Groups help us “bond,” and build trust.
A “bonding” network helps you build deeper “thick trust” relationships with contacts you already have. A Groupsite is perfect for this. Perhaps you have a very active professional group of 25 members. By using a Groupsite to communicate, share, and network, you may begin to learn things about the group members that are not business related. Perhaps you learn that your children play in the same lacrosse league, or that one of the members is an avid cyclist or another has a grandson who is applying for admission to your alma mater. All of these additional facts help you build deeper levels and trust as you discover new ways where you may be able to assist each other in achieving your goals.
But what about meeting new people? “Bridging” networks are those that help connect un-connected dots building “thin trust” initially. It’s one thing to get to know your existing contacts better; but how do you make new contacts? Groupsites can help here, as well.
While each Groupsite is its own destination – a sanctuary for “bonding” where your group can make things happen – Groupsites equally powerful for “bridging” networks. You can take advantage of this by creating or joining a second (or multiple) Groupsite(s), and then selecting “View All Mode.” (View All Mode provides a combined view of all of your Groupsite activities and allows you to easily perform cross-group searches. Want to find more people who play golf? Just search for them from your View All Mode).
With multiple Groupsites, you’ll realize the true bridging power of Groupsite.com. It becomes your extended “Social Collaboration Network”. You can communicate, share and network among all your groups with a single sign-on. This collaboration network also helps others find and connect to you – the ultimate in “bridging” network power.
Groupsite.com lets you bridge in other ways, too. Try clicking the “Find a Group” link at the top left of any Groupsite. This will take you to www.groupsites.com where you can search for other groups to join. Or, how about asking members of your current Groupsite for recommendations to other Groupsites that you might also find interesting and productive?
Additionally, you can select the “Create a Group” link at the top of any Groupsite and create your own new Groupsite. This way, you can have access to multiple parts of your life (work, school, church, family, friends) all on the same platform, using the same single log-in; yet, each specific group will have their own place to bond and make things happen.
Use a Groupsite to build strong trusted relationships. Use our Social Collaboration Network (and, your multiple Groupsites) to reach out beyond a single group and stay connected with everything you do.
Communicate – Share – Network. Make things happen—today!