We’ve just met, and we’re chatting.

Somehow, we realize that we’re both really into yarn bombing. Specifically, we both like to knit blankets and wrap them around trees in public parks.

This really happens. It’s a thing. See the video:

If we both like to yarn bomb, then we have an “uncommon commonality.” We have something in common that’s not particularly common.

Maybe we both like to play rugby. Rugby isn’t particularly common. We’d then have a second “uncommon commonality.”

I didn’t invent the phrase “uncommon commonality,” but I like it. I was listening to Jayson Gaignard as he was interviewed on Mixergy. He mentioned the powerful bond created when we discover these commonalities.

Of course, we all have many things in common. You watch sports; I watch sports. You have kids; I have kids. You breathe air; I breathe air.

When the things we have in common are common, they don’t do much to bring us together. Talking about them creates conversation, but it doesn’t foster connection.

But these less common (or uncommon) commonalities create an instant bond. When I discover that someone is a Mike Cross fan, we click. You, of course, have never heard of Mike Cross. That’s what makes it uncommon. Get it?

Can you prepare for meeting someone new by searching for your uncommon commonalities? Sure. Get to work. Check Google, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You’re looking at these data sources already. Now you just need to look at the information a bit differently. What are those uncommon things you already have in common?

Also, just so we’re clear, I don’t knit. I don’t yarn bomb. And I’m not sure I want to be your friend if you do.

P.S. This article will be added to the Networking 101 course. That’s what I love about having converted the e-book into a course. Now it’s easy to add new material with the click of a button. That’s why I’m constantly expanding, tweaking, and bringing new audio, video, and text to the course. Sign up if you haven’t already.