To get the best from 4N you have to embrace the social elements..discuss

Pretty much all my social circle is people I met through 4N, I still have my 'other' friends but spend lots of time with my new ones too.

I don't think you necessarily have to embrace it, I just think you're mad if you don't :)

You could read that as 'In order to get anything from 4N, you have to be part of the gang of sychophants who queue up to say 'Great idea' every time Brad farts'

There's a definite 'inner circle', clique, or whatever you want to call it, in 4N. If you're in it, then great, if you aren't then you might as well not bother.

Hold on Brendan. I'm not in an inner circle, clique or whatever you want to call Brad's close group friends but 4N still works very well for me. For me the social element is chatting on Twitter to people I have met either on here or at meetings. I don't socialise with 4N people in the "real world", apart from a couple of appearances at 4N parties, as that side of magic 50/50 split doesn't really seem to have taken off around here. Either that or it has and I wasn't invited. 

Not using the social parts of 4n is a bit like having a TV but never using the on button.

The social part of it is a big part for me.  Like Carl said, you can go a bit stir-crazy working from home on your own....

There are some very stuffy networking groups in the big wide world.  There are lots of nutters in 4N so I feel totally at home 

I'm not sure.  I certainly think embracing the social side in and out of the meetings accerlates relationships and in turn the trust element, and have seen it happen.

Conversely, I've no doubt those that only engage during the meetings but attend regularly do well out it, if their attitude, product and service is right.

How could you read it at that?  I don't think the social side refers to being in any kind of "inner circle". 

My social circle in 4N is widely varied from people I now consider to be good friends, people I meet for coffee and a chinwag sometimes, the odd dinner get together and lots of twittering. 

I get work and referrals and all of the other great support, advice, friendly ear etc benefits from these people.

Maybe we have created our own "inner circle" (doesn't any group of friends or close asociates?) but it certainly isn't closed or exclusive, and I have to say Brad's farting habits are rarely if ever a topic of conversation.

To carry on with what Sam has said - To me the social side is all about communicating with the people in 4N and not just their businesses. Its about meeting up for a pint or two away from 4N.

I personally agree with a lot but not all of what Brad says, and I'm not a member of any inner circle.

You feeling OK Brendan?

Why should anyone be part of this particular "gang of sychophants" to whom you refer, (whoever they are) when there are thousands of other people on 4n to interact with. My interpretation of Brads OP is to embrace any member of 4n socially and they may become clients later, rather than the other way about.

I can see many small fractions of people on 4n that have things in common and chat with eachother. Nothing wrong with that, it happens everywhere in life, and anybody joining in the conversations shouldn't be seen as being a sychophant