Really nice post and completely resonates with my experience.
Dealing with squeaky wheels is especially challenging once you're in a position where it's known you have lots of good connections. There are just a lot of people very committed to their own advancement for its own sake who will nominally jump through whatever hoops you put in front of them even though you doubt they will put the connections they want to good use for the world. Getting good at saying no without being mean or cagey is a real skill.
Absolutely agreed. One effective approach is to create requirements that provide inherent value and enable community feedback. For instance, ask them to write up their ideas in a public forum post and include an ask about whether others are working on similar projects or would find the work valuable.
This serves as both a filter (if others people respond and say this work wouldn't be useful or someone else is already covering it, then you have a graceful way to say no) and be a useful contribution to the community.
I really liked this post, Constance! Thank you for writing it. You are definitely a super connector, and it is great to see your wisdom and experience written out like this.
I completely agree that we should default to double opt-in. I’ve been introduced to people without warning a few times, and it can be awkward when I don’t have time to connect or if I feel that I won't be as helpful in this case. It also makes me trust the introducer a little less. I also think that it spares the other person we are being introduced to some time.
A mini-trial idea is useful. I’ve also noticed how many people don’t follow up when you ask them to take even a small extra step. For example, if someone wants to connect with others in the animal space, my first suggestion is usually “Join Hive” (if they are not already there). I’m happy to make 1:1 introductions, but if someone isn’t willing to take 10 minutes to join a free, relevant community, it often feels like a signal they’re unlikely to follow through when I make introductions. In those cases, spending time making a personal intro doesn’t feel like a good use of energy, especially if you consider the opportunity cost.
I liked your idea about asking people to write their own intro blurbs. I do that too, and it works as a helpful filter (a good reminder to master my blurbs!). I often don’t get the blurb back, which tells me the person probably wasn’t that committed. Your point about staking your reputation on this connection being valuable is important and something I could resonate with.
If someone wants a warm introduction, they should ask themselves: How can I make it easier for this person to stake their reputation on me? How can I demonstrate that I've already done my homework and this connection is the right next step for me to make more impact?
Yeah, this is a reason why I love communities like Hive. I can always signpost people towards joining the community or posting on the help request channel first to see if the community can help them. If they are unwilling to take the extra 10 minutes to access a free resource, then yeah, it seems like they're probably unlikely to follow through on whoever I introduce them to as well.
Thanks for sharing this post, Constance. The research around the social function of gossip to promote cooperation amongst groups is interesting. Gossip is often stigmatized, but it can create positive incentives for pro-social behavior if done responsibly.
Nice, I'm glad that it's useful for you! I think it would be super cool if we had a super connectors group chat at the next conference to quickly triage potential connectees!
Very transparent, concise, and action-guiding, thank you Constance! Bookmarked to re-read it before the next conference I'll attend. I'm pretty confident that at least some of the tips here will be concretely useful to me in the future!
Do you expect an additional aspiring super-connector to be more useful:
a) In a large hub (say, Bay Area) where other competent, value-aligned connectors might already dwell?
b) In a smaller hub (say, Amsterdam), where it seems that no one has currently picked up the ball?
c) As a nomad who goes from hub to hub at different times of the year, while never remaining for more than a few months in any major city?
(I guess the crux here is whether one thinks that there are already competent "connectors" in the largest hubs)
I think A>B, eg I often find people who don't know each other in London who it is valuable to introduce. People are not as on the ball as you think, the market is very far from efficient
Though many of the useful intros I make are very international, and I would guess that it's most useful to have a broad network across the world. So maybe C is best, though I expect that regular conference and business trips are enough
I've tried A and C in the past, and I would say it really depends on what you want to do specifically and what you're well suited for.
A.) There are a lot less competent super connectors in other in large hub cities than you would think. This is not a skill that is taught, and most people who are good networkers are not thinking about the wider ecosystem or what it means to be a responsible steward of the network. I do think that large hubs have a big repository of people who could become great super connectors, though so the potential for a multiplier effect is higher.
B.) It depends on how strategic you think a certain hub can be. Are there a bunch of already value-aligned people there or businesses/industries that could be allies? If so, then it would be worthwhile to start developing that network now, like planting a seed for a tree that will grow in a couple of years.
C.) You need to consider the startup costs for moving. I did this for a year (NYC, Bay Area, London every month or so) and found it quite exhausting. Every time you go to a new place, you have to figure out where to live, where to co-work, and what events to go to. The people that you met the previous time you were there may also be doing very different things, so it's hard to be fully up-to-date on what's going on. If you can do things strategically timed with certain high-value events, then this might be worthwhile. For example, @SofiaBalderson and I tend to go to London (for 1-2 weeks) at the tail end of the Ambitious Impact charity incubation programs that focus on animal welfare charities so we can get to know the new founders well.
You might also be interested in learning about my prior (failed) attempt at establishing a nomad hub.
What a great post! Thanks for taking the time to share it, Constance! The section on cultivating a HEALTHY whisper network was certainly appreciated. I don't think it's something that's talked about enough.
Thanks for the post! This was super interesting and helpful. A lot of this advice seems geared towards when one already has the network, but I'm curious if networking to be a connector is significantly different than networking for other reasons. Do you have any thoughts?
It depends on what you find yourself wanting to do more... it definitely helps to come into a network trying to do something specific so that you can get a "lay of the land" and know who/what is helpful or not. Knowing how resources pan out for you is useful for knowing how they would pan out for others.
This is the third in a sequence of posts taken from my recent report: Why Did Environmentalism Become Partisan?
Summary
Rising partisanship did not make environmentalism more popular or politically effective. Instead, it saw flat or falling overall public opinion, fewer major legislative achievements, and fluctuating executive actions.
Public Opinion...
This post presents the executive summary from Giving What We Can’s impact evaluation for 2025. At the end of this post we share links to more information, including the full report and...
TL;DR: You can create outsized value by introducing the right people at the right time in the right way. This post shares general principles and tips I've found useful. Once you become a super connector, it's also important to be a good steward of the inevitable whisper networks that you gain access to, and I include tips for that as well.
Context:I unintentionally fell into a super connector role and wanted to share the lessons I figured out along the way. Feel free to check out my personal story[1] and credentials[2] if you are curious to learn more.
Why Super Connectors Matter
Credit: GPT 4o
In communities like EA, where talented people often work in isolation on high-impact problems, a well-placed introduction or signpost can lead to tremendous impact down the road. Super connectors accelerate access to key information and relationships, which reduces wasted effort and helps triage scarce resources. If done well over time, you will end up with a high-trust network where people know when and why to come to you and what value they can expect from doing so.
General Principles
1. Know Your North Star
First, clarify why you're connecting people. What outcomes are you trying to create? What kinds of work do you want to see more of in the world?
Your filtering criteria for your network might emerge naturally from who you enjoy spending time with and what conversations energize you. But being intentional from the start helps you:
Make decisions about which connections to prioritize
Build a reputation for connecting people around specific themes or cause areas
Avoid spreading yourself too thin across unrelated domains
2. Understand People Deeply
Most networking focuses on what people are currently doing. Super connectors tend to go deeper, learning about values, working styles, and long-term goals through substantive conversations and repeated interactions. This is what will differentiate you from a Linkedin search. Plus, it is easier to remember people as people[3], not a set of facts.
3. Never Waste People's Time
Before any introduction, ask yourself these questions:
Can I clearly articulate why these people should connect?
Am I fairly confident both parties will find the interaction valuable?
Am I prepared to take a hit to my reputation as a connector if #2 turns out not to be true?
Why this matters: Your reputation as a connector depends largely on the value people get from your introductions. A poor referral can have lasting damage to the trust that others have in future connections you offer to them.
4. Be Ruthlessly Selective
This feeds into #3. Not everyone deserves equal access to high-value connections and sometimes... ok oftentimes... the squeaky wheel shouldn’t be the one getting the grease.[4] Your network will benefit greatly if you filter out people who are:
Ego-driven in unproductive or uncollaborative ways
Demonstrating questionable integrity
Unclear or inconsistent about their goals
Unreliable about following through on commitments or responding to messages
One of the most valuable roles of a super connector is to play the mid-funnel role and bring promising new talent and ideas to the attention of the tip of the funnel.
Tip: For new and excited people who I think could use a strategic 1:1 intro, I will put them through a first band filter/mini-test task where I ask them to summarize what they are interested in/how they could concretely add value and send it to me in a followup on the platform of my own choosing (usually Slack). 70-90% of these people fail to do this. This makes my introductory message easier to do, allows me to quality check their skills, and selects out people who weren't very serious to begin with.
5. Direct Towards Appropriate Engagement Channels
For people who aren't ready for high-level 1:1 connections, direct them toward:
Communities for developing and clarifying ideas with peers
Important: Vet these resources carefully by either exploring them yourself or asking for references from your network. The people you direct towards them could eventually become valuable connections and directing them to fertile soil increases those chances.
Practical Tips
Double Opt-In Introductions: Always get consent from both parties before making connections, starting with whoever initially sparked the idea.
Connect with Other Super Connectors: Multiply your impact by triaging people to other relevant connectors in other domains rather than handling everything yourself.
Play on Their Turf: Ask valuable connections which platforms they check most reliably and which would be the most appropriate for you to contact them on. Some prefer email, others Slack, others WhatsApp. Reaching people through their preferred channels dramatically increases response rates.
Master Platform Tools: Learn efficient connection methods for each platform (i.e. scanning QR codes for Slack and WhatsApp, etc.). This is especially important during conferences when you have very little time to establish the gateway to future communication.
Be in the Hubs: This can increase your surface area for discovering new people and information while also reducing noise and increase serendipity. You can live in one of the cities where the community that you care about connecting is centralized, monitor relevant Slack communities for updates, go to relevant conferences, attend/organize events, engage with co-working spaces, and live in group houses as a few examples.
A Note on Whisper Networks
EA faces a classic coordination problem: there are strong incentives (funding, strategic considerations, reputation, survival) to present polished front-facing images, even when sharing weaknesses would help the community allocate time and energy more effectively towards a common goal.
People and organizations are not transparent about their shortcomings
Talented people waste time in roles that insiders already know are poorly structured/managed
Funders and evaluators rely on sanitized, controlled information rather than practical realities
When public sources of information consistently differ from experienced realities, whisper networks (aka social intelligence/gossip) tend to form. Sometimes these little whispers are protective for the community, sometimes they are damaging, but one thing is generally true:
If you are a good super connector, you will inevitably find yourself in the middle of the whisper network.
but with great power/information comes great responsibility
You have a responsibility to be a good steward of these networks and channel them towards a positive direction.
Why? Because if you don’t do it, likely no one else is going to. [5]
How to Cultivate a Healthy Whisper Network:
Investigate patterns: Pay attention when multiple sources independently report similar experiences (poor management, unclear strategy, misaligned incentives). Ask trustworthy people who are in insider positions to verify your suspicions so that you can either help put an end to baseless rumors or confirm valid information that is being suppressed in public comms for some reason.
Distribute information strategically: Do not broadcast sensitive information widely. Only share relevant details with people who genuinely need it to make better decisions about their time and effort. Be diligent about protecting sources who share sensitive information and want to be private.
Be transparent: Be honest about what level of evidence you have i.e. "I've heard X from multiple sources, but haven't verified it directly" or “I observed this person do Y and it gave me Z vibes”
Calibrate your judgement with strong feedback loops: There is a tradeoff between sharing information quickly when it is still relevant and sharing later when you have reached a threshold of certainty. The more you lean towards the former, the more you should be issuing corrections when you learn you were wrong. Encourage people to inform you if information you shared was incorrect or has since changed so that you can issue corrections sooner and calibrate your judgement of when to share information and with whom.
Know when to call in the adults: You can't handle and investigate everything, nor should you attempt to. If there is a serious concern of potential widespread harm, you should direct the issue towards more established and formal channels like CEA's community health team or bring it up directly with other stakeholders who have the capacity and position to investigate more thoroughly.
Getting Started
Begin with deep conversations with 5-10 people in your existing network
Identify 2-3 high-quality potential connections based on what you learn
Apply the three-part test in principle #3 before making any introductions
Start small and build your reputation through making consistently valuable connections.
By becoming an effective super connector, you can advance the work you care about most while forming meaningful relationships with some of the most amazing people in the world. Happy connecting! 😊
I started creating my own networks in response to being frustrated with the status quo in the EA community. In 2022, I was best known for getting repeatedly rejected from EAG (still my most popular forum post to date). Hopefully this shows that you don’t need to start from a place of social privilege to start playing a connector role.
I co-founded Hive which does community-building for farmed animal advocates (see impact and testimonials) and founded AI for Animals (name change pending) which applies a similar network-building model (except we also run conferences) for the field of steering AI to go well for sentient beings broadly.
I took this authentic relating course during the pandemic to improve my close relationships, but it turned out to be a key skill for connecting with people on a wider scale as well.
You should be especially cautious about introducing new and "excited-to-engage" people into your network. I've wasted a lot of time connecting people who initially seem deeply interested, but then fail to follow through. Put them through some sort of mini work trial first to test out how competent and serious they are.
The other side of the spectrum to getting critical yet hidden information out to the people who need to hear it is by being a whistleblower, which can bear significant personal costs.
Really nice post and completely resonates with my experience.
Dealing with squeaky wheels is especially challenging once you're in a position where it's known you have lots of good connections. There are just a lot of people very committed to their own advancement for its own sake who will nominally jump through whatever hoops you put in front of them even though you doubt they will put the connections they want to good use for the world. Getting good at saying no without being mean or cagey is a real skill.
Absolutely agreed. One effective approach is to create requirements that provide inherent value and enable community feedback. For instance, ask them to write up their ideas in a public forum post and include an ask about whether others are working on similar projects or would find the work valuable.
This serves as both a filter (if others people respond and say this work wouldn't be useful or someone else is already covering it, then you have a graceful way to say no) and be a useful contribution to the community.