Dormant Ties Reactivation
Reconnect with old contacts for novel information and unexpected opportunities
Grant highlights research showing that dormant ties -- people you used to know but have not been in contact with for years -- are one of the most valuable and underutilized resources in your professional network. Sociologist Mark Granovetter demonstrated that weak ties provide novel information because they operate in different social circles than your close contacts. But dormant ties offer something even better: they combine the information diversity of weak ties with the trust that comes from a prior relationship.
When executives were asked to reach out to dormant ties for career advice, they rated the information received as significantly more valuable than advice from current contacts. Current contacts tend to share the same knowledge and perspectives you already have. Dormant ties have moved into new industries, developed new expertise, and built new networks during the years you have been apart, giving them access to fresh ideas and connections.
The barrier to reactivating dormant ties is the awkwardness people feel about reaching out after a long silence. Grant recommends overcoming this by leading with a giving mindset -- contacting old connections not to ask for something but to find out what they are working on and offer help.
- Dormant ties provide more novel and valuable information than current strong ties
- Former contacts have developed new expertise, networks, and perspectives during years of separation
- The combination of prior trust and information diversity makes dormant ties uniquely valuable
- Reaching out to give rather than to ask eliminates the awkwardness of reconnection
- Reactivating one dormant tie per month creates a steady stream of fresh perspectives and opportunities
- Dormant ties are a renewable resource -- the longer the dormancy, the more diverse the information
- Inventory your dormant tiesScan your email history, old LinkedIn connections, alumni directories, and memory for people you once had meaningful interactions with but have not contacted in two or more years. Create a list of at least ten dormant ties from different phases of your career and life.
- Reach out with a giving intentContact one dormant tie per month with a brief, warm message. Mention your shared history, ask what they are currently working on, and express genuine curiosity. Look for ways you might be helpful -- making an introduction, sharing a relevant article, or offering perspective from your own experience.
- Mine the conversation for novel informationPay attention to the new perspectives, knowledge, and connections your dormant ties have developed. Ask about their industry, challenges, and what they have learned. The greatest value of dormant ties is the fresh, non-redundant information they bring from social circles you no longer overlap with.
- Maintain a rhythm of periodic reconnectionDo not let reactivated ties go dormant again immediately. Schedule lightweight follow-ups every six to twelve months to sustain the connection. Even a brief check-in keeps the relationship warm without requiring significant time investment.
Researchers asked over 200 executives to reach out to two or three dormant ties and seek advice on an ongoing work project. The executives also sought advice from current contacts on the same projects. When they rated the value of the advice received, dormant ties consistently provided more useful and novel information than current strong ties.
Organizational behavior professors Daniel Levin, Jorge Walter, and Keith Murnighan conducted a study asking executives to reactivate dormant ties and compare the value of their advice against current contacts. The results showed that dormant ties provided consistently more useful and novel information, challenging the common assumption that only active relationships are professionally valuable. Grant integrated this research with Granovetter's weak ties theory to create a practical networking strategy for givers.