Influence Brokers Gain Self-Worth by Giving Advice
Influencers aren't necessarily experts, in fact, according to research findings from an April CNET Networks study titled "Understanding Influence, and Making it Work for You," influencers are individuals with large social networks who gain a greater sense of self-worth by giving good advice. The study results indicate that influencers interact with 100+ people each month, compared with moderately-connected individuals, who have 10 or fewer connections with friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers.
The survey found a correlation between social network size and advice-giving. According to CNET, fewer than half of moderately-connected individuals are asked for advice versus 75% of the highly-connected. Within the highly-connected group, 84% prefer using email to interact, 88% prefer in-person discussion, 46% phone, 16% instant messaging, and 15% text messaging.
