August 20, 2008

Social Networking: The Garden Analogy

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 12:04 pm

Guest Writer: Todd Jordan

Networking withPurpleConeflowers_by_Liz_Strauss

Do you take your network seriously? How do you keep it and treat it? Is it cared for like a well maintained garden, or is it overrun with half grown connections and weeds? When’s the last time you bothered to nurture and prune it?

Sounds funny at first, but the truth is our social networks are an extension of ourselves. They speak volumes about us and our attitude towards ourselves and others. Like flowers, your contacts can wither and drop off. A once vital connection, bringing you many interesting tidbits or even work, can stop bearing fruit if you don’t pay attention to it.

If the overrun garden sounds like it might be your network, then it’s time to get to work on it. It won’t be pleasant at first, but the work soon pays off.

  • drop everyone that’s not following you - this is the hardest but most productive of all the steps you can take. Yes, you love following that news anchor but when was the last time he chatted with you? Like removing the undergrowth.
  • stop following anyone whose stuff you bypass or ignore - this one often feels awkward. Chances are these are folks we actually cared about at one time or another. This one also greatly improves your network. Like removing those trees that never bear fruit.
  • eliminate the spammers - oh, you think you’ve removed all the weeds? What about Jack, that guy that sends out endless messages about his kids, but has never sent you a reply. Or Joan, the lady from work, who friended you, doesn’t reply, but manages to talk to a hundred other friends. This is the weeds of your garden. They too choke off what you really want in your network.
  • move contacts and reduce redundancy - huh? this means don’t follow the same person on half a dozen networks where they post the same thing over and over. If you follow Bud on Twitter and FriendFeed, drop him on Twitter. It’s like having two busy gardens next to one another. You’ll only really tend to one. This last one reduces the clutter, freeing up the rest of your network to breathe and be usable again.

Yes, the analogy seems silly but these simple steps are no joke. If you can implement these in your networks, you’ll see things begin to change. With the dead weight gone, the rest of your contacts will begin to stand out. Good growth will begin again. You might even find some old friends you’d forgotten. But once things start blooming, don’t forget to keep the pruning sheers handy. A good garden requires consistent tending.

How’s your garden?

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12 Comments to “Social Networking: The Garden Analogy”

  1. August 20th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
    Todd Jordan said

    Thanks for posting this up. I’ve got a few more ideas if this post goes over at all.

    Always good stuff to be found on your blog huh Liz?

  2. August 20th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Todd,
    I’ve always thought that the strategic role in any corporation should be called “Chief Gardening Officer.”

  3. August 20th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
    Beth Blair said

    I love this post. I have to admit I have a ton of weeds, partly because I have lived in so many places. I guess I need to haul out the trimmers and get to work.

  4. August 20th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
    Nancy Brown What a Trip said

    Great information. I don’t follow a lot of folks on Twitter b/c I don’t think it is possible to keep up with the social networking.

    Like you, I feel it is best to “tend to the garden” prune the plant and keep only the most productive fruit.
    http://twitter.com/WhataTrip

  5. August 20th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
    Cath Lawson said

    Hi Todd - This is good info (says the person who is still trying to grasp Twitter). And I love the way you’ve compared it with gardening. I guess that if you pull out all those weeds - it makes it lots easier to see what’s happening to the flowers.

  6. August 20th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
    419letters said

    I guess too much of networking sites may cause the above mentioned problem.
    May be 3 could be max. to register and concentrate in.

  7. August 21st, 2008 at 1:51 am
    Alex Fayle said

    As a Professional Organizer, I got in the habit of clearing my paper on a regular basis (practice what you preach), so when I started reading blogs via RSS, I realized that I could only handle so many, so started the culling process right away.

    The only people I don’t cut out are the ones I’ve been reading for years but don’t produce that much anymore. I continue to support them, but don’t feel overburdened by them because of their limited number of posts.

  8. August 25th, 2008 at 11:22 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Everyone!
    I’m back. Todd’s analogy works so well for me too.

    @Beth I’ve decided to spend about 15 minutes a day — a time when I don’t feel like starting a new task — attacking a networking site to “garden” a bit. It feels good.

  9. August 25th, 2008 at 11:23 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Nancy!
    Thanks for the link. One thing I’ve found is that the “gardening” I’m doing has made me more aware of the folks I’m connected to and why they’re in my “garden.”

  10. August 25th, 2008 at 11:57 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Cath,
    Yeah, and when it’s easier to see the flowers and why I wanted them there. It’s also easier to see how cool they are. :)

  11. August 25th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi 419letters,
    I think we all have our max. This is what I usually suggest . . . Start with 1. Get to know it well. Then add 2 more. Maybe visit them daily for week. Add two more. Visit 1 old and 1 new every day.

  12. August 25th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Alex,
    What I like most about what you said is that you know why you’re doing what you do. You see the value you get from your plan. :)

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