Here’s another vote to have strong #networks! http://ow.ly/h4r5Q #connection @FastCompany

Harvard Professor, Nicholas Christakis tells us how network science reveals that innovation–much like the dreaded flu bug–is contagious. Here’s where you need to position yourself to catch one (and maybe avoid the other).

“Individuals located centrally within a network will be at both an increased risk for the acquisition of a pathogen,” Christakis says tells Fast Company, “and an increased risk for the acquisition of novel information. If you’re trying to get people to work better,” Christakis says, “it’s not enough to think about individuals, you’ve got to think about how the group of individuals is connected or organized.”

This is similar to how we connect with highly networked individuals cross-functionally across our companies as competitive intelligence professionals. Being connected to the right people is one of the keys to a successful competitive intelligence operation.

For a more detailed explanation, check out Professor Nicholas Christakis’ TED presentation entitled, “How social networks predict epidemics.”