Oprah's secret, secret to success.

Oprah's super secret, secret to success.

I guarantee you that you've never heard it before...

Her secret: strategic, intimate dinners.?

Not with family.

Not with besties.?

Not with close friends.

Not even with friends...

I stumbled upon this secret while tuning in to a recent episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast. Paul Brunson, who co-hosted a TV show on the OWN network, shared:

'…We used to go on these road shows to sell the show to advertisers and before the road show she would always host a dinner. And these dinners… it would be this potpourri, this eclectic buffet of various people...'

These dinners brought together around 20-30 acquaintances, playmakers from diverse backgrounds—athletes, politicians, non-profit leaders, and entrepreneurs—gathered around a single table.

To grasp the genius of this tactic, we must first explore two theories...

First, sociologist Mark Granovetter's 1973 "Weak Ties" theory posits that our greatest opportunities arise not from close relationships but from weak ties.

Second, British anthropologist Robin Dunbar theorized that humans can maintain only up to 150 meaningful connections.Your weak ties likely reside in the 120-150 range—acquaintances, rather than family or friends.?

By hosting these dinners, Oprah taps into the "Weak Ties" theory's power:

1. Diverse Network: Strengthening weak ties exposes us to diversity, granting access to new information, perspectives, and resources.
2. Bridging Gaps: Weak ties can serve as bridges, connecting us with people we might never have met otherwise. Oprah's dinners accelerate these introductions.
3. Impartiality: Acquaintances on the periphery of your connections can offer unbiased feedback, covering "blind spots" that close connections might overlook because close connections are more likely to have more in common with you.

To harness these principles and boost your chances for success, try the following:

• Reflect on your most significant opportunities and their origins. Acknowledge that they may not have come from close connections.
• Intentionally strengthen your weak ties. Reach out to those in the 120-150 range through dinners, virtual meetups, or other gatherings.
• Diversify your networking. Avoid always inviting the same type of people to your events.
• Be purposeful about who is in your weak tie zone. Improve the quality of your 120-150 connections to enhance the quality of potential opportunities.

Never eat alone.

Many of the world's wealthiest and most influential people network extensively with weak ties. Learn from them and invest time and energy in the right people.

Sincerely,

Shanee Moret

p.s. To increase the quality of your weak ties through networking on LinkedIn, click here to register for the FREE LinkedIn Masterclass.