use what they are gleaning

English translation: Parsing - see below

06:16 Jul 20, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Management
English term or phrase: use what they are gleaning
Hello everyone,

"As we saw in chapter 2, managers can start expanding their jobs by building on their interests or domains of expertise through professional associations, industry groups, alumni networks, and the like. All of these important sources of outsight also provide ready-made networks to which you can easily connect to share and multiply your knowledge. Communities of practice exist (or can easily be created on the internet) in almost every area of business you might be interested in, from brand management to private equity to product innovation, to cite just a few examples. Sign up and show up.

But that is only the first step. If you stop there, you are only building your personal network. To make these connections strategic, savvy managers ***use what they are gleaning*** outside the boundaries of their jobs and companies as a hook for making valuable internal connections to previously untapped people and groups, setting the stage for addressing strategic concerns".

I've to admit the phrase "use what they are gleaning" and, therefore the rest of the corresponding sentence, makes little sense to me from the logical point of view. According to the dictionary, "glean" means "to obtain information, knowledge, etc., sometimes with difficulty and often from various different places"(http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english... So, how the information or knowledge obtained can be used as a hook for making valuable internal connections?

Immediately after that the author talks about organizing some events to attract key clients.

"Many of the successful networkers I’ve met leverage their personal interests to create their own communities. For example, an investment banker who specialized in the tech sector started inviting key clients to the theater (a passion of hers) several times a year as a way of making sure she saw the plays she wanted to see. She had her assistant buy a block of tickets and organize a fast buffet dinner before the play at a hotel near the theater district. Over time, she and her clients started bringing other members of the local high-tech community to her events. Because a lot of business was done at the dinners, they attracted even more of the relevant people to future events."

So what does "gleaning/obtaining information" outside the boundaries of their jobs and companies have to do with using their personal interests to attract key clients?

In other words, what is the author's logic in this case?

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 01:26
Selected answer:Parsing - see below
Explanation:
I think you are parsing it wrong. The gleaning goes with "outside the boundaries of their jobs and companies". They get the information outside of their own job, not they use the information outside of their job.

All he is really saying is that you should look outside of your own immediate job and contacts to make new contacts which can then become useful levers to make more contacts and expand your network.

The final paragraph goes a step further by expanding the possible contacts completely outside of your work sphere into your social sphere.
Selected response from:

Terry Richards
France
Local time: 23:26
Grading comment
Thank you, Terry.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +5Parsing - see below
Terry Richards


  

Answers


44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Parsing - see below


Explanation:
I think you are parsing it wrong. The gleaning goes with "outside the boundaries of their jobs and companies". They get the information outside of their own job, not they use the information outside of their job.

All he is really saying is that you should look outside of your own immediate job and contacts to make new contacts which can then become useful levers to make more contacts and expand your network.

The final paragraph goes a step further by expanding the possible contacts completely outside of your work sphere into your social sphere.


Terry Richards
France
Local time: 23:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you, Terry.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia
53 mins

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
1 hr

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 hr

agree  AllegroTrans
3 hrs

agree  acetran
1 day 41 mins
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