Ed Callahan, one of the panelists, talked about the value of a connection. For Ed, connecting should be meaningful. Yes, he has lots of connections, but he talked about how he has actually met and talked and connected with every person in his contacts. Ed is a very powerful connector.

The discussion reminded me of something that I had previously posted…

3. Only invite people that you know and trust.
If you would feel strange about calling someone on the phone and having a conversation, perhaps you shouldn’t invite that person to connect.

4. Just because someone invites you doesn’t mean you have to accept.
If you don’t know the person well or at all, perhaps you shouldn’t connect. Call the person wanting to connect and schedule a time to have coffee or something to strengthen your relationship.

A few people mentioned that it is useful to have a couple of these “LIONs” in your network as it can sometimes help in the sales process. You simply have access to a larger database. But if the connection is fleeting at best, what is the ultimate value?

• Network – not Knowledge – Is Power

Dennis’ point is that with more people using social networks in both personal and business contexts, the network of connections and relationships is becoming an extremely powerful force.

What I’d like to add is that if you combine powerful connections with a high level of expertise on a given subject, you might just become a web 2.0 supernova. And it is even more important to sound your voice in an honest way.