Reviewing your inner circle

You only need to ask people how they acquire knowledge, to quickly understand how often they rely on a few trusted friends to get the answer. For example, if you decide to buy a new home entertainment system do you unconditionally accept what you first see, read or hear, or do you ask a few trusted people for their opinion? The answer, I am sure, is that you would most likely place much more value on what a trusted friend or adviser says rather than relying totally on the advice of someone unknown to you.

This trait of the web of human connection has profound implications on our ability to grow and learn. If our network of contacts is either too small or too narrow we will not have the pool of collective wisdom we need to manage the challenges that lie ahead. Needless to say, in what we are facing now it is quite likely that in 90 per cent of cases we may need to go well outside our close circle of friends and advisers to get the answer. However, in reality, due to the personal weighting we give to the value of our connections, we do the opposite , staying with a trusted few to help us solve nearly everything we face.

Of course, changing or expanding our mix of close contacts is not always an easy proposition, particularly given the pressures of time, but we do need to think more creatively about how we can adapt our personal networks and business connections on at least our major business priorities. Unless we make this effort we most likely will be operating in a vacuum .

Having done much of the hard work on improving levels of trust we then need to become skilled in auditing the composition of who is, and should remain , part of your more trusted circle of advisers, mentors or helpers. As discussed, one of the interesting facts about people is that they commonly rely on a very small group of individuals to be their most trusted inner circle. Typically, in business a manager can have up to 150 individuals to whom they turn for advice or information, However, their inner circle can be much smaller. This network of high-trust relationships can include many people, from work colleagues, associates and acquaintances to relatives. It is here that the most intimate knowledge is often shared.

This inner circle of trusted friends is built up over time and we are often quite resistant to changing its composition. ˜Why? you might ask. Well, we feel connected emotionally and it is here where we feel most comfortable. In most cases people are very protective of their inner circle, whether it is just habit or because it just feels nice and cosy. For example, reflect on a recent experience where someone has demanded or requested greater time from you. This could be someone who wants to spend more time with you socially . Do you automatically say ˜Yes , or do you consider the cost of spending more time with that person and less with someone else?

Like many others, changing my inner circle has been, and continues to be, a huge issue. For example, each year I get countless requests from other prospective or actual authors who want to write with me. This is in addition to the many external consultants and contractors who want to be part of my business. Each time I receive these requests, I have to make a decision that evaluates the potential benefit of joint writing or partnering with others. The decisions are rarely easy, but there are times when I have to stretch my comfort zone and change my inner circle based on different circumstances.

Reviewing and changing our inner circle is particularly important given the changing nature of work and life. Whereas the issues we are now facing are in constant flux, so should be our network of contacts. How we vary and change our personal networks can have profound implications on our capacity to cope and self-manage. Advances such as the World Wide Web and wireless devices like mobile phones certainly have improved our chances of having a greater mix and diversity of people within our lives. However, the level of intimacy can often suffer, particularly when it involves face-to-face conversations.

Ultimately however, being stuck in a zone of similarly thinking people can help with some challenges but could be quite dangerous with others. This is commonly seen in business, when decision- makers are unable to respond correctly to what is happening. So be prepared to review your connections on a regular basis. This may not be as radical as crossing names out of a personal organizer or diary, but it does mean becoming more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your existing network of knowledge and being prepared to make the required changes. This is certainly not one of the easiest parts of winning the knowledge game, but it is probably one of the most important.