The whole Kevin Bacon, 6° thing is just wrong. It’s been determined it’s actually 2.78 moves or connections between Kevin Bacon and any other actor.
Please pay attention: You are only 3° away from anybody who is a QUALIFIED PROSPECT!
How can I say that?
First, it is very important that you note the term ‘QUALIFIED PROSPECT‘. That means that there is a STRONG RELATIONSHIP to your CAUSE or CASE. (It does not mean a ‘relationship’ with you or another individual!)
Then, IF they are truly a QUALIFIED PROSPECT… you can use your NATURAL PARTNERS (Champions, Board Members. Key Volunteer Leaders, other Current Investors, etc.) to make the contact and the connection… and help set up the VISIT!!!
This might be the best way to explain this.
I am only 3° away from the Pope, the President or the Prime Minster of Israel.
I can reach out to one of the most amazing human beings on the planet, Fr. Ted Hesburgh (with whom I had the incredible experience of working with on the Campaign for Notre Dame). Fr. Ted calls someone in the Vatican… who then sets up meeting with the Pope.
To get to the President, I simply hit speed dial for Dick Celeste, former Governor of Ohio, Ambassador to India, President of Colorado College and now Senior Counsel with The Suddes Group. Dick has Bill Clinton on his speed dial. Bill calls President’s office and sets up visit (since he worked really hard to get President elected).
For the Prime Minister of Israel, I call anyone of a handful of Jewish leaders that we have worked with and ask them to make a phone call or reach out to someone in Israel who can then reach out to the Prime Minister. II know. Probably not a good time to do this. He’s busy. Just trying to make a point.)
One last story. I am only 2° away from the Dalai Lama. At an international conference, I poured (fire hose?) my energy, heart and soul into a keynote talk. Afterwards, a wonderful woman came up and said, “Thank you I learned so much… I will never forget this day.” Then she put her long white scarf around my neck and said, (BTW) “My brother is the Dalai Lama.”
There are two great books on this phenomena, 6 DEGREES by Duncan J. Watts and LINKED by Albert Barabasi.
