WEIRD networking
I'm reading this book called The WEIRDest People in the World by Joseph Henrich.
The premise of the book is that modern, Western society is the anomaly in human history and that our value/culture/society has made us WEIRD: Western, Educated, Industrialized Rich, and Democratic.
I'm not too far into the book, but this line in the first chapter stood out:
"Paradoxically, and despite our strong individualism and self-obsession, WEIRD people tend to stick to impartial rules or principles and can be quite trusting, honest, fair, and cooperative toward strangers or anonymous others. In fact, relative to most populations, we WEIRD people show relatively less favoritism toward our friends, families, co-ethnics, and local communities than other populations do. We think nepotism is wrong, and fetishize abstract principles over context, practicality, relationships, and expediency."
What this suggests is that our natural tendency, if we can overcome out WEIRDness, is to want to favor our closer relationships.
We want to make things fair as a WEIRD society. That's why the government has this crazy procurement process that requires "fair and open" competition.
But all the big government contracting companies spend a lot of time and money cultivating relationships with government decision makers. Think they're just trying to make friends?
I don't think so.
Doing favors for people we like is how we naturally want to be, even if we claim to want to be a strict meritocracy.
As an aspiring 1099, never forget this. Cultivate relationships, be friendly to others and help them with favors. They will WANT to help you. They will make the referral or introduction that might lead to your first 1099 gig.
Don't let being WEIRD get in your way.
Want the full playbook? Check out Going 1099.