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Networking and soft skills. Social capital. Transfer of trust.
Why a network can’t be passed down by inheritance
What happens when a father tries to “hand over” people from his network to his son
Networking and soft skills. Family connections.
Connections are a form of capital you can inherit? Not quite…
“Call this person — I’ve worked with them for 20 years,” the father says, handing his son a phone number. And then… something unexpected happens (not really). The contact doesn’t work out.
Why?
A network is not a list in your phone. It’s trust, shared history, joint wins, and challenges you’ve been through together. It’s the smell of sweat after unloading a truck during a student job; or a story about a bottle of something strong when you were negotiating something important. It’s a handshake after a tough deal. Something that can’t be forwarded in a WhatsApp message.
Between the father and his contact, there is a bridge.
Between the son and that person — there’s a moat. And it’s not guaranteed anyone will cross it.
Especially if the new person has no time, no empathy, no curiosity, and no desire to build their own reputation — only a last name. That’s not enough.
Especially if the new person has no time, no empathy, no curiosity, and no desire to build their own reputation — only a last name. That’s not enough.
Trust is not transferred automatically.
Even if you’ve been “recommended,” it doesn’t mean trust is transferred automatically. It has to be rebuilt: through listening, being useful, small actions, and respect for other people’s time.
A network isn’t transferable.
It is built from scratch. Every time. Even within one family. Even across generations.
And that’s actually good news. Because a real network is not about last names or connections — it’s about who you are, how well you listen, and how you can be useful. And that is already in your hands.
And that’s actually good news. Because a real network is not about last names or connections — it’s about who you are, how well you listen, and how you can be useful. And that is already in your hands.
So what should you do, father?
What should a father do? Help build a bridge of their own. Introduce, but don’t impose. Give not a list of contacts, but context: who this person is, how they think, what matters to them. Share stories, show how the relationship was built. And give the son — or daughter — the space to earn respect on their own. Because you can pass on everything except trust.
Trust is something everyone earns for themselves.
Trust is something everyone earns for themselves.
Leonid Bugaev
is an expert in business communications, a corporate trainer, speaker, and conference moderator. He is the author of the books “Mobile Marketing”, “Mobile Networking” and "People Like Me: 99 Rules for Building Connections That Actually Matter."
Follow Leonid on Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube so you don’t miss new publications. Also take a look at his business training programs on networking, B2B sales and trendwatching, as well as his books and interviews.
Follow Leonid on Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube so you don’t miss new publications. Also take a look at his business training programs on networking, B2B sales and trendwatching, as well as his books and interviews.
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