This is a great series of thoughts from Brian Solis for the Ideas Project. He eloquently describes how we have unknowingly shifted in some areas to connecting around ideas and interests rather than just because of personal relationships.
This is something I think we really started to see come to life with Twitter and the evolving network of connections it provides. We are able to maintain loose connections with large groups of people around a number of different interests. For example, I’m connected with people on Twitter around a very eclectic set of topics: branding, social media, music mashups, location (Oklahoma City), mountain biking, and other topics might be on my mind.
Some have argued that these loose connections don’t provide as much value that a smaller community that is focused around a specific problem or topic can provide, especially when it comes to solving problems or making something happen. And I agree totally, but I also think that the value of Twitter comes from the way it creates serendipitous crossroads of opportunity for us to connect with others we may never have come into contact with otherwise.
It’s amazing to watch Twitter, which is seemingly unorganized, to see how people cluster together in discussions around ideas.
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Have you found value in loose connections?
How often have these connections developed into something greater?
