have found that people believe that similarity makes communication easier, makes our networks more predictable and results in us trusting our friends more. Therefore, we network with people who went to the same school, grew up in the same area, or look similar to ourselves.
Weiner says that the nature of LinkedIn exacerbates and perpetuates this problem. The digital platform facilitates connections between people who went to the same university or who have worked with the same organization—thus making it easier to connect with those most similar to yourself. It does little to connect people with different backgrounds or educational paths.last year, Weiner made it clear that LinkedIn doesn’t want its users turning their back on their current networks.
The biggest change Weiner envisions is allowing participants in nonprofits to network with the professionals who volunteer for those networks. For example, letting members of the Boys and Girls Club network with professional volunteers for that group.
One problem with plan is that most people likely think that they already have a diverse network, and therefore might be reluctant to participate in Weiner’s initiatives. A big game-changer would be to allow networkers to become aware of the lack of diversity in their own networks. It’s unlikely users will realize the lack of diversity in their networks unless they’re forced to confront it.
Lack of access to strong networks has long been identified as a major contributor to the gender pay gap, the racial pay gap and the lack of women and minorities in senior roles in organizations. Weiner and LinkedIn have a great opportunity to inspire the site’s 675 million members to diversify their networks, let’s hope they succeed.
jeffweiner 👍🏿
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