Promoting Professional Geekery #35: Connect Groups

(For more Promoting Professional Geekery, see this Roundup of past columns.)

You know how it goes.  You’re there helping plan a convention and someone mentions they really need some artists for a project.  The artists group you hang with is looking for work.  That networking group of techheads is shrinking because of time limits, attrition, and people finding work.

All those geeky/progeeky groups have needs, and interested people.  They’ve got plenty of progeeks who could benefit from the two groups teaming up . . . 

Previously I talked about the importance of triading – introducing two people together with you participating in order to further their progeny activities.  That’s very important.

It’s also important to connect groups together for similar ventures.  There’s plenty of people you know out there that should be meeting each other – and there’s groups, teams, cons, and so forth that should also get connected to promote each others professionally geeky interests.

Consider how people in these groups would benefit:

  • Groups seeking talent could find the skills they need for their ventures by looking to each other.
  • You could revive fading progeeky groups (like the theoretical networking group) with new blood.
  • New ventures could be born, such as connecting a convention with the talent it needs to do a progeek career track.
  • Networking is always good.  You might end up Voltroning two groups together to create something new.
  • If you do it, other people may take the idea to heart.

Of course which groups should you connect?  That’s a bit tougher since you don’t want to waste people’s time.  Usually I find the following rules apply:

  • Merging groups is rare – but possible.  So don’t try it unless you’re serious.
  • It’s best to introduce groups together that help fulfill the needs of the other, so everyone benefits.
  • Having a specific venture/goal in mind is good for any initial connection.
  • Consider introducing group leaders together first, deliberately, as opposed to having some big meetup or something similar.

Networking doesn’t end at the individual.  So hook your geek/progeek groups up and take it farther – with some forethought.

Steven Savage