Connector (social)

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Connectors are people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions. A connector is essentially the social equivalent of a computer network hub. Connectors usually know people across an array of social, planes, cultural, professional, and economic circles, and make a habit of introducing people who work or live in different circles.

Although connectors are rare -- only one in several thousand people might be thought of as a true connector -- they are, like mavens and salesmen, very important in the healthy function of civil society and business. Connectors are also important in trendsetting. One type of connector is Lois Weisberg, particularly valued in urban cultural settings.

Author Malcolm Gladwell popularized the term connector in his 2000 book The Tipping Point. Paul Revere, Roger Horchow, Ahmed Ibrahim, and Lois Weisberg are notable connectors.