Six Degrees of Separation and The LINK System

🔹 Six Degrees of Separation

Origins and Concept

  • The “Six Degrees of Separation” theory suggests that any two people in the world are connected through a chain of no more than six acquaintances.

  • It originated from Hungarian writer Frigyes Karinthy (1929 short story Chains) and was later popularized by sociologist Stanley Milgram’s “small world” experiment in the 1960s.

  • The idea captured public imagination because it highlighted the surprising closeness of social networks.

Applications in Networking & Business

  • If everyone is only six steps away, then opportunities, clients, investors, and collaborators are theoretically accessible through systematic connections.

  • However, in practice:

    • Paths are uneven — some people are “super connectors,” while others are dead ends.

    • Without structure, people waste time on shallow contacts instead of meaningful relationships.

    • The randomness of “six degrees” often leaves results to chance.

Modern Context

  • Social media (LinkedIn, Facebook) has amplified awareness of these connections, but it has also created noise — many “connections” are weak and non-productive.

  • The principle remains true, but leverage requires organization, trust, and reciprocity, not just raw connectedness.

🔹 The LINK System

Foundation

Your LINK System operationalizes the Six Degrees concept by adding structure, accountability, and purpose to networking. It takes what is theoretical and makes it practical and repeatable.

  • L – Leverage: Members leverage their relationships for mutual benefit. Instead of hoping six degrees will line up, they intentionally shorten the chain by asking for introductions.

  • I – Introduce: TRM members are trained to introduce with clarity, using scripts, disclaimers, and framing that protect both the referrer and the referred.

  • N – Nurture: The system emphasizes ongoing trust-building — not just one-off introductions. Relationships are cultivated, not consumed.

  • K – Keep score / Keep giving: There’s accountability through recognition, rewards, and tracking of who is giving and receiving value. This creates balance and sustained energy.

Key Features vs. Random Networking

  1. Trust Layer – Members trust the TRM community, so introductions are higher-quality than cold outreach.

  2. Protection Layer – Disclaimers and referral clauses protect members, encouraging them to make more introductions without fear.

  3. Reciprocity Engine – Recognition and rewards ensure giving is continuous, not lopsided.

  4. Systematic Flow – Unlike the randomness of Six Degrees, LINK creates a pipeline of introductions that can be measured, refined, and scaled.

🔹 How They Connect

  1. Six Degrees as the Big Idea

    • The world is already small. Everyone is connected within six steps.

    • This creates unlimited potential but is chaotic without direction.

  2. LINK System as the Solution

    • TRM doesn’t leave introductions to chance — it shortens six degrees to one or two degrees inside the network.

    • Members don’t just “know someone who knows someone.” They are trained, motivated, and protected to make those introductions actively.

  3. Positioning in Your Book & Materials

    • Six Degrees explains why networking matters: potential reach.

    • The LINK System explains how to make networking actually work: practical results.

    • This contrast makes TRM look like the “evolution” of traditional networking: from theory → to structure → to measurable outcomes

Scroll to Top