The most powerful network is a diverse one

We know a strong network is important, and good professional relationships are critical for career building. But all too often, it’s easy for us to network just with people like ourselves. In fact, surrounding yourself with people who are different is especially critical. You’ll benefit from all kinds of diversity in your network, from race or ethnicity to gender. But also think about diversity in terms of generation, neurodiversity, educational background, or profession. Ultimately, the biggest advantages arise from having access to people who think differently from you, based on their backgrounds and experiences. Here are three ways a diverse network can benefit you. 1. HAPPINESS AND CONNECTION Some of the primary outcomes of a more diverse network are happiness, well-being, and life satisfaction. In particular, when people had more variety in their relationships, they reported greater well-being, according to a global meta-analysis of four studies across more than 50,000 people published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This well-being was characterized by a sense of satisfaction with life, happiness, and positive emotions. A study of almost 25,000 people…