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One of Adam Rifkin’s maxims is “I believe in the strength of weak ties.”

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It’s in homage to a classic study by the Stanford sociologist Mark Granovetter.

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Strong ties are our close friends and colleagues, the people we really trust.

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Weak ties are our acquaintances, the people we know casually.

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Testing the common assumption that we get the most help from our strong ties, Granovetter surveyed people in professional, technical, and managerial profess‒ ions who had recently changed jobs.

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Nearly 17 percent heard about the job from a strong tie.

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Their friends and trusted colleagues gave them plenty of leads.

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But surprisingly, people were significantly more likely to benefit from weak ties.

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Almost 28 percent heard about the job from a weak tie.

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Strong ties provide bonds, but weak ties serve as bridges: they provide more efficient access to new information.

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Our strong ties tend to travel in the same social circles and know about the same opportunities as we do.

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Weak ties are more likely to open up access to a different network, facilitating the discovery of original leads.

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Here’s the wrinkle: it’s tough to ask weak ties for help.

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Although they’re the faster route to new leads, we don’t always feel comfortable reaching out to them.

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The lack of mutual trust between acquaintances creates a psychological barrier.

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But givers like Adam Rifkin have discovered a loophole.

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It’s possible to get the best of both worlds: the trust of strong ties coupled with the novel information of weak ties.

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The key is reconnecting, and it’s a major reason why givers succeed in the long run.