full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Mark T. Rivera: 3 ways to better connect with your coworkers

Unscramble the Blue Letters


OK, tip number two, be a joiner. Surprisingly, our closest friends aren't the best people for giving us access to new information. It's often our ateaauciqncns because they connect us to different social clriecs and consequently new ways of thinking. Social scientists call these ritoenlsaihps weak ties, and when it comes to innovation, they're more itorpamnt than our snrtsgeot connections.

For example, in one study, I found that people who had many weak ties that connected different groups in a lrage organization were more likely to have high performance scores, more likely to be promoted and even more likely to say they were a part of a ctrviaee breakthrough. The best way I've seen for developing weak ties is to join groups outside of your day-to-day work. Things like philanthropic organizations, sprots clubs or employee resource groups are great examples. You never know. Tobin from lgeal, who you met playing pickleball, might have a great idea that can really help you out in your next project. And for leaders trying to spark innovation, having a regular trivia gorup might be more effective the best-run strategy siummt.

Open Cloze


OK, tip number two, be a joiner. Surprisingly, our closest friends aren't the best people for giving us access to new information. It's often our _____________ because they connect us to different social _______ and consequently new ways of thinking. Social scientists call these _____________ weak ties, and when it comes to innovation, they're more _________ than our _________ connections.

For example, in one study, I found that people who had many weak ties that connected different groups in a _____ organization were more likely to have high performance scores, more likely to be promoted and even more likely to say they were a part of a ________ breakthrough. The best way I've seen for developing weak ties is to join groups outside of your day-to-day work. Things like philanthropic organizations, ______ clubs or employee resource groups are great examples. You never know. Tobin from _____, who you met playing pickleball, might have a great idea that can really help you out in your next project. And for leaders trying to spark innovation, having a regular trivia _____ might be more effective the best-run strategy ______.

Solution


  1. strongest
  2. circles
  3. acquaintances
  4. relationships
  5. large
  6. important
  7. legal
  8. sports
  9. creative
  10. summit
  11. group

Original Text


OK, tip number two, be a joiner. Surprisingly, our closest friends aren't the best people for giving us access to new information. It's often our acquaintances because they connect us to different social circles and consequently new ways of thinking. Social scientists call these relationships weak ties, and when it comes to innovation, they're more important than our strongest connections.

For example, in one study, I found that people who had many weak ties that connected different groups in a large organization were more likely to have high performance scores, more likely to be promoted and even more likely to say they were a part of a creative breakthrough. The best way I've seen for developing weak ties is to join groups outside of your day-to-day work. Things like philanthropic organizations, sports clubs or employee resource groups are great examples. You never know. Tobin from Legal, who you met playing pickleball, might have a great idea that can really help you out in your next project. And for leaders trying to spark innovation, having a regular trivia group might be more effective the best-run strategy summit.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
weak ties 3
people feel 2
tip number 2


Important Words


  1. access
  2. acquaintances
  3. breakthrough
  4. call
  5. circles
  6. closest
  7. clubs
  8. connect
  9. connected
  10. connections
  11. creative
  12. developing
  13. effective
  14. employee
  15. examples
  16. friends
  17. giving
  18. great
  19. group
  20. groups
  21. high
  22. idea
  23. important
  24. information
  25. innovation
  26. join
  27. joiner
  28. large
  29. leaders
  30. legal
  31. met
  32. number
  33. organization
  34. organizations
  35. part
  36. people
  37. performance
  38. philanthropic
  39. pickleball
  40. playing
  41. project
  42. promoted
  43. regular
  44. relationships
  45. resource
  46. scientists
  47. scores
  48. social
  49. spark
  50. sports
  51. strategy
  52. strongest
  53. study
  54. summit
  55. surprisingly
  56. thinking
  57. ties
  58. tip
  59. tobin
  60. trivia
  61. ways
  62. weak
  63. work