Superconnect

Book excerpt: For readers of Outliers or The Wisdom of Crowds — or internationally bestselling author Richard Koch's many followers — this entertaining book draws on the latest in network science research to show how any of us can increase the chances of success in our personal and work lives. What's so special about the rich and famous? Unusually successful people often think they've done well because of their talent or luck — or simple grit and hard work. But individual characteristics matter far less than the social connections we exploit. And counterintuitively, it's our weak links — your neighbour's landscaper or that ad agency guy you happened to meet at your sister's birthday party last year — that matter most of all. Drawing on research from the fields of sociology, math, and physics, internationally bestselling author and entrepreneur Richard Koch and his co-author Greg Lockwood show how networks impact our everyday lives. Rich with entertaining anecdotes and written in Richard Koch's trademark conversational style, Superconnect reveals the hidden patterns behind everyday events. Most importantly, it shows how any of us can increase the chances of happy outcomes in our own lives, careers, or businesses.