Creating and Sustaining Successful Networks

National Institute for Civil Discourse

Jake Jacobsjake@realtimestrategicchange.com

310.924.7667

September 17, 2015

Interests / Expectations

Network Development•Learn about network building and maintaining.•What are the inhibitors/detractors to watch out for? Negative individuals? Lack of meaningful dialogue? •Discover best practices for building and sustain a network (and on the flip side, learn about pitfalls to avoid)•Best and worst practices for network building and maintaining.•How do you sustain a network of individuals that is primarily interested in their own, individual work (in this context, research)?•When/how do you develop sub-networks while maint•How to successfully onboard new members into a network while maintaining the integrity of the network?•Passive networks versus engaged, interactive, contributing networks•How to maintain and build on the initial shared vision?•How important is network member involvement in future planning?•Hear about some examples of robust, effective networks and ineffective networks•How do you define success?•Better sense of direction and more knowledge on managing the relationships of very busy, type-A personality, demanding individuals. 

Technology/Tools•Role of email marketing, social media, and face to face interactions in building/maintaining networks•How can you create effective and efficient online meetings of networks?•What do you see as the future of building and maintaining networks with the advent of emerging technologies?•What is the most productive use of online group meetings? How often? •When network members are spread around the country, how often should face to face opportunities be made available?•More information and ideas on tools that could be used to aide in the management of a network and more creative ways to interact and collaborate with

the network.

Application to NICD•Explore/discuss networks in NICD’s context•A direct application of this knowledge to NICD networks•A direct application of this knowledge to understanding other organizations’ networks, interacting and connecting with them, and incorporating other

independent networks to become part of NICD networks

Purpose

• To increase your individual and collective positive impact in your work.

Outcomes

• Better understanding how networks work

• Enhanced ability to see, manage, lead and participate in healthy, vibrant networks

• Insights into how to help and hinder the development of these healthy vibrant networks

• A few ideas you feel good about trying out to improve the effectiveness of an NICD network in which you are participating

The Central Question

• What will bring about greater health in the system?• Define the system• You and the system define greater health

• There is science to support the understanding of network structure

• The structure of a network provides insights into how the network “works”

• Once you understand the structure, you can make decisions about how to manage the network’s context

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We live in networks of people

Source: MWH Global, Vic Gulas

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Our organizations are linked

Source: Laurie Lock Lee, http://www.optimice.com.au

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Ideas are networks

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The world wide web is vast

http://www.ics.uci.edu/~wscacchi/Tech-EC/EC-EB/Internet-map.gif

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Networks in our bodies are miniscule

http://images.iop.org/objects/phw/world/21/10/31/PWnow1_10-08.jpg

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What do we notice about these networks?

• Any set of relationships is a network– Person-person– Group-group– Cross-enterprise– Cross-business– Information artifacts– Web sites– Atoms and molecules

• A network is a collection of entities linked by a type of relationship

• All networks have common properties and can be analyzed

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Successful Social Networks• Anti-Apartheid Movement

• Anti-nuclear movement

• Arab Spring

• Black Lives Matter• Civil rights movement

• Feminist movement

• Human rights movement

• Ku Klux Klan

• Occupy Wall Street

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Characteristics of Successful Social Networks

– Personally meaningful– Fair Return on Investment– Care About the Cause– Simplest forms of connection and no simpler– Easy to make connections to get “work” done– Strive for “everyone knowing what everyone knows”– Clear responsibilities– Requests based on knowledge, expertise and skills– Let the network own the network AND Guide it when needed

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Purpose

PrinciplesStructure

Tools

Best Practices of Networks

Leader’s Work

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Areas of Focus

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Criteria for a Good Purpose Statement

• Clear and compelling• Developed collaboratively• Brings focus to the work• Enables everyone to align around a common

direction• Results oriented, not activity based• Related to current realities AND future possibilities• Meaningful to all key members of the network• “Ennobling”

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Example Purpose Statements

Vague Purpose• To make water quality better

Limiting Purpose• To improve the quality of water in the Northwest’s watersheds

Purpose With Meaning For Activists Only • To achieve significant improvements in water quality in the

wetlands so that we preserve all species of plant and animal

Purpose With Meaning For Everyone• To make the quality of water in the Northwest watersheds as

healthy and pure as it was when our city was founded in 1876 – for so that wildlife, people and the environment all thrive

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How To Get To A Good Purpose Statement

5 Why’s – Asking “Why?” 5 times or “What does that get you?”

To teach you about networks• Why?

So that you can do an even better job leveraging them• Why?

So that your programs are more successful• Why?

So that the causes you support are advanced• Why?

So that people collaborate better on a wide range of issues• Why?

So that you put into place new and better ways for people with competing interests work better together

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How To Get To A Good Purpose Statement

5 Why’s – Asking “Why?” 5 times or “What does that get you?”

• Why?

• Why?

• Why?

• Why?

• Why?

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Principles

Best Practices of Networks

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Principles Based in values – what’s important to you

Guide decisions and actions

Often seen through an “Either/Or” lens Leads to unnecessary conflict, wasted energy and

important work not being tended to well Reinforces an “Us vs. Them” mentality – unhelpful in any

network Our network will be focused on connecting people who can

best support each other

A “Both/And” lens, or Polarity Thinking, reduces conflict, channels energy in positive and productive ways, and further stengthens your network

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Participation Directionand

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Engagement

andParticipation Direction

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Confusion

andParticipation Direction

Engagement

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Clarity

andParticipation Direction

Confusion

Engagement

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andParticipation Direction

“Good Soldiers”

Clarity

Confusion

Engagement

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Strategic Change = Continuity AND Transformation

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Principles Design Principles

Focusing inside the network AND focusing outside the network

Direction AND Participation Best of past and present AND Compelling possibilities of

the future Individuals achieve full potential AND Network achieves its

full potential Plan for the future AND Be in your future now Inquire about what others believe and Advocate for what

you believe

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Principles AssessmentWhich of these “Both/And” Principles do you

believe you’re doing the best in leveraging in your network?

Which do you believe you’re doing the worst?

What’s one idea you have about how to improve your performance against that principle?

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Structure

Best Practices of Networks

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Patterns of network growth

Source of network maps: Valdis Krebs and June Holley

Emergent Hub-and-Spoke Multi-hub Core Periphery

Time

Where most network-building begins

Self-sustaining network

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Barriers to Effective Networks• Fragmentation

– Lack of integration along functional lines– “Handoff” of ideas rather than joint development– Process/review inefficiencies

• Domination– Small number of people hold fast to established model– Network overly influenced by a few people

• Insularity– Access to external resources spread across a lot of

people (i.e. not just a few people know the external sources)

Driving results through Social Networks: How Top Organizations Leverage Networks for Performance and Growth, Rob Cross and Robert J. Thomas, Jossey-Bass, 2009

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Leader’s Work

Best Practices of Networks

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How to Influence the NetworkDesired Pattern

ChangesPractices and Approaches

Create more connections Make introductions through meetings and webinars, face-to-face events (like knowledge fairs); implement social software or social network referral software; social network stimulation

Increase the flow of knowledge Establish collaborative workspaces, install instant messaging systems, make existing knowledge bases more accessible and usable

Discover connections Implement expertise location and/or; discovery systems; social software; social networking applications

Decentralize Social software; blogs, wikis; shift knowledge to the edge

Connect disconnected clusters Establish knowledge brokering roles; expand communication channels

Create more trusted relationships Assign people to work on projects together

Alter the behavior of individual nodes

Create awareness of the impact of an individual’s place in a network; educate employees on personal knowledge networking

Increase diversity Add nodes; connect and create networks; encourage people to bring knowledge in from their networks in the world

Patti Anklam

Net Work: A Practical Guide to Creating, Leveraging and Sustaining Networks at Work and In the World

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Weave

A

C

B

A

C

B

A

C

B

• Close triangles

• Know the net, knit the net

• Make introductions

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Steward

• Pay attention to change triggers• Manage the context

• Enhance trust• Clarify roles and responsibilities

• Manage complexity• Prepare for

emergencehttp ://www.gfs.com/en/about-us/stewardship.page

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“One consistently surprising aspect of social software is that it is impossible to predict in advance all of the social dynamics it will create.” – Clay Shirky

Embrace Technology• Take small steps• Practice• Find friends to practice with

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Create Capacity

• Reward good network behaviors• Encourage outreach• Bring the outside in• Establish and transmit norms

for networking• Enhance skills in using

collaborative networkingtechnologies

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/cyb/images/impact/capacity.jpg

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Keeping Up

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Writing Blogs

• Write about what interests you

• Think out loud• Engage people who may

want to share experiences

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Finding Connections, Adding Value

• Pay attention to change triggers• Manage the context

• Enhance trust• Clarify roles and responsibilities

• Manage complexity• Prepare for

emergence

• Research people• Find connections• Make yourself findable• Manage your profile

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Tools

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Tools

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Tools

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Tools

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Tool Design Parameters Ease of use

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A New Paradigm

• …and what you know about them

• …and what they know about you

• … and what you are learning, together

• … and how you work at that

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A new way to see: The network lens

• You can design a network

– Selecting appropriate elements of purpose and principles

• You can learn from it– Looking at its

structure, value flow, or relationships

• You can create or respond to change

– By understanding the network’s context and its properties

Creating and Sustaining Successful Networks

National Institute for Civil Discourse

Jake Jacobsjake@realtimestrategicchange.com

310.924.7667

September 17, 2015