Building on Affinities: "Weird done right"

The last AffinityAvenue.com blog post reflected on different social skills people have who are all using social media, whether for personal connections or business marketing purposes. Some experts advise "use social media for being social" or "act as if at a cocktail party." When it comes to personal or business matters online or in-person, people tend to gravitate toward individuals (those fronting organizations or not) who are interesting.

So in cultivating affinities, one may find these two blog posts by Jessica Hagy helpful as well as entertaining. How To Be More Interesting (In 10 Simple Steps) includes the tip: "Embrace your innate weirdness," while Why Weird is Wonderful (and Bankable) claims: "Weirdness: it’s great for parties." She writes that "weird done right ... is captivating and attractive" and "weirdness fosters community" as one finds "others who understand, empathize, and share what you thought was an isolating trait."

Hagy's points remind me of Seth Godin's work, described in the AffinityAvenue.com blog post Tribes will form around ideas, leaders. If someone will let their inner weirdness out, they may find an existing or forming tribe, making anything possible within their personal or business lives.

Looking beyond Affinities: "Hire Someone You Hate"

While we often leverage affinities -- areas of common interest and people with whom we share connections -- in some cases it may be advantageous to go outside of our affinities when it comes to recruiting employees or volunteers. A case for this is made in the blog post "Hire Someone You Hate" by The Evil HR Lady.

The main point is that a competitive advantage can exist for those who work with people who see the world differently than they do, offering differing and diverse perspectives. However, when it comes to recruitment and selection, people often look for like-minded individuals. The author cautions that "different doesn't mean disagreeable." Additionally, it is the responsibility of leaders to listen to all the varying perspectives being presented -- by like-minded and different thinkers -- and then use all the information at hand to make their own decisions.

The author warns of negative consequences that come from closing yourself off from folks who have solid skills in the field, yet you can't imagine spending any time with them outside of the office. The author writes: "You need someone who has some different experiences than yours. Someone who can explain to you that not all clients love what you love and brings qualities and perspectives you lack. You need someone who will point out that even though you love baseball games, not everyone else does and therefore your marketing shouldn't be limited to supporting the local teams. This means that they can attract clients you cannot."

Employee affinity groups can help diversify workplace

While affinity groups form naturally in the work environment, a March 2009 article by Carmen Van Kerckhove explains how employee affinity groups can be aligned around an affinity for diversifying workplaces and charged with helping achieve business goals related to diversity.

Although Van Kerckhove has since moved on to other projects, as explained in her May 2010 farewell post on the Racialicious.com blog she founded, Racialicious.com continues and Van Kerckhove's article, titled "How Employee Affinity Groups Can Help You Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce," is worth a read. The full article is reprinted below.
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How Employee Affinity Groups Can Help You Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce
By Carmen Van Kerckhove

It isn't surprising that employee affinity groups are a popular diversity tactic. They are easy to set up and inexpensive to run. And when they work well, they can help companies recruit and retain top diverse talent.