Does networking really make a difference? The answer is a resounding yes! In a study performed by Partnering Resources, 93% of completely successful change initiatives were led by leaders with very strong or strong personal networks. Not one change initiatives described as less successful was led by a leader with strong or very strong personal networks. Furthermore, a recent study featured in Sloan Management Review showed that high performing project teams had almost twice as many non-core contributors affiliated with the team. In this highly interactive session, we learned about the science behind networking. We drew on insights from researchers and practitioners in the social sciences and in business to learned about the networking practices of high performers. We dispelled the myth that people who want strong networks should never eat alone and, instead, we learned about the simple actions that significantly contribute to the health of your network. We merged the art and science by mapping individual participants’ networks, identifying gaps, and developing plans for filling those gaps. Presented October 2, 2012 at The Commonwealth Institute. Event information: http://partneringresources.com/event/art-science-networking-basics-commonwealth-institute/

1. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
The Art & Science of Networking The Point
Yes, There Is a Science!
The top 20% of
The Commonwealth Institute
October 2, 2012
performers in
organizations are more
Maya Townsend likely to cultivate and
Partnering Resources
leverage their networks.
2
Objectives Howdy, Neighbor!
• Increased understanding of the science behind • Turn to the person next
networking to you.
• Swap business cards.
• The three different kinds of networks—strategic,
• 3 minutes to discuss:
operational, and personal—and how to use each
► What do you like most
one about networking?
• Preliminary strategic analysis of their own ► What is your greatest
fear or concern about
networks networking?
• Identification of the gaps in their personal
networks and ideas about how to fill those gaps
3 4
What is a Network?
What is a network?
The science of networks Public transportation networks
help people travel in cities
How high performers use networks
Analyzing your networks
Watch out for network traps Computer networks move data from
location to location
How to do it
The circulatory system
Networks are about movement carries oxygen and carbon
dioxide to and from our cells
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2. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
The Simplest Network All In All…
Human networks are also all about movement: • A network consists of the
The movement of information
trusted relationships
created in order to…
Sam knows how
to answer the ► Exchange information
question so Mary
connects you to ► Complete work
Sam
You have a You ask your She doesn’t know ► Get advice
question friend Mary the answer and calls
Sam for advice
► Solve problems
► Socialize
Problem solved!
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Image: TouchGraph.
Networks versus Social Networks Networks are Ancient
Social network tools help us Tribe 1155
develop and maintain networks But the goal is the network
Village
148
Overnight
Camp
38
Core
Group
2-6
9 10
© 2011 Maya Townsend. Data: Christakis & Fowler, Connected.
Weak Links are Important The Power of Weak Links
• Weak links outperform
strong links when
attempting to connect
Weak links are more to a different world
casual, sporadic, • 25% of jobs secured
unplanned, or through contacts who
fleeting were hardly ever seen
(Granovetter study)
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© 2011 Maya Townsend. Image: WebWizzard on flickr.com. Data: Koch & Lockwood, Superconnect.
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3. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
Critical Connector Quiz
What is a network?
If you answered “Yes” to
The science of networks questions…
How high performers use networks #1 AND #3 – Put a yellow
Analyzing your networks dot on your name tag.
Watch out for network traps #2 AND #6 – Put a green
dot on your name tag.
How to do it
#4 AND $5 – Put a red dot
on your name tag.
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The Secret to Managing Networks:
The Hub
Critical Connectors
• Identified by Dr. Karen
Stephenson
• Exist in all networks Cathy
• Critical Connectors
Harry Gary
comprise only 5% -
15% of the network Chris
• Three Critical
Connectors
► Hubs
• Highly and directly connected with many people
► Gatekeepers
• Communicate and disseminate knowledge through the organization
► Pulsetakers
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Image: © 2005 NetForm, Inc. Used with permission.
The Gatekeeper The Pulsetaker
Cathy Cathy
Harry Gary Harry Gary
Chris Chris
• Serve as links between departments, functions, and groups • Have maximum influence using minimum number of direct contacts
• Act as information gateways • Work through indirect means
• Broker knowledge between critical parts of the organization
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4. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
The Pulsetaker: 6º of Separation Master Companies like Org Charts…
Jane is at the individual contributor
level on the org chart
22 23
But There’s More to the Story Howdy, Neighbor!
• Turn to the person on
the other side.
• Swap business cards.
• 5 minutes to discuss:
► Do you think you might
be a hub, gatekeeper, or
Jane
pulsetaker? If so, why?
► What hubs, gatekeepers,
and pulsetakers do you
know at work?
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Network Knowledge & High Performance
What is a network?
41%
The science of networks • 36 - 42% more
34%
How high performers use networks likely to exceed
expectations 30%
Analyzing your networks 24%
• 43 – 72% more
Watch out for network traps likely to be 15%
How to do it promoted 11% 12% 11%
5%
• 42 – 74% more
likely to stay with "Far Exceeds" Promoted to Higher Left Company
the company Expectations Rank
BLP Graduates Control Group Others in Top 5 Job Ranks
26 27
From Burt & Ronchi, “Teaching Executives to See Social Capital: Results from a Field Experiment.”
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5. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
High Performers are More Likely to… Network Considerations of High Performers
• Build high-quality
relationships
• Operational
• Invest in relationships to • Personal
extend expertise, balance
biases, and prevent career • Strategic
traps
• Position selves at key network
points and leverage people
The top 20% of employees are more around them
likely to build and maintain personal
networks
• Cultivate select ties with
external experts
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From Cross, Thomas, & Light, How Top Talent Uses Networks and Where Rising Stars Get Trapped.
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Operational Networking Personal Networking
• People who can help you… • People who can help you…
► Get work done ► Grow personally and professionally
► Provide referrals to useful
► Fulfill your work responsibilities information and contacts
• Contacts are usually internal and ► Give honest, caring feedback
focused on current demands • Contacts are usually external and
share current interests or future
• Your job: build strong working
potential interests
relationships
• Your job: Reach out to people who
can make referrals or give advice
• Who do you need in order to get
things done? • Who do you need in order to
develop professionally?
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Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review.
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Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review. Image by Wonderlane on flickr.
Strategic Networking
• People who can help you…
► Figure out future priorities and
What is a network?
challenges The science of networks
Get stakeholder support for
How high performers use networks
►
the future you want to create
• Contacts are future-oriented
and can be internal or external Analyzing your networks
• Your job: Create leverage—
draw on resources from one
Watch out for network traps
area to achieve results in How to do it
another
• Who do you need to build
the future you want?
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Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review. Image: Aussie Gal on flickr.
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6. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
Critical Connector
Former Last full-time job
client
Board connections /
Boston connections
Connections in my field
University
client
Connections where I
teach
34 35
Advisory Board Member Colleague Just Back in Workforce
36 37
Quick Network Assessment Analyzing Your Network
1. Jot down the ten • Turn to the person behind
people you interact you.
with most frequently • Swap business cards.
on the job • You have 10 minutes:
► What strengths do you see
2. Identify differences in your network?
3. Identify networks ► What red flags do you see?
► What might you do to
4. Assess strength leverage strengths and
address red flags?
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7. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
Watch out for network traps…
What is a network? The bottleneck The formalist The biased learner
The science of networks
How high performers use networks
Analyzing your networks
Watch out for network traps
How to do it The disconnected
expert
The surface networker
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Images: Gijs van Kooten et al. Traps: Cross, Thomas, & Light, How Top Talent Uses Networks and Where Rising Stars Get Trapped
What can you do if you’ve fallen into
Quick Quiz: Network Traps
a networking trap?
Which network trap are you most likely to fall into?
Biased learner
(A) Bottleneck – Has too much on their plate or has a tendency Bottleneck Formalist Identify areas of
Find information, decisions, Identify brokers, informal overinvestment and
to be controlling and tasks that can be decision makers, and other underinvestment and take
reallocated and/or mentor key network players and
(B) Formalist – Relies too much on the formal structure and others to provide backup align with the formal system
steps to balance the
network
misses the nuances
(C) Disconnected expert – Knows what they know… but
doesn’t keep up with new learning Surface networker
Disconnected Expert Refocus attention on what
(D) Biased learner – Draws too much on old relationships or Identify skill gaps and build can be offered, not just
“like” individuals ties to those who can help what can be received, and
fill gaps build relationships with
(E) Surface networker – Knows a lot of people superficially but critical individuals
hasn’t built trust
43 44
A Common Tip for Network Building
What is a network?
The science of networks
How high performers use networks
Analyzing your networks
Watch out for network traps
How to do it
45 46
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8. The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012
Managing Relationships The Minimalist Approach
Create a Build tie
Identify the critical connectors and gaps in
weak tie strength your network. Then…
1. Schedule two coffee meetings per month
Strong relationship
Two Do
Weak tie
disconnected nothing; Maintain
people maintain relationship
weak tie
2. Forward two emails per week
3. Walk around the office and talk with people
two times per day
47 48
Key to Building Your Network Where can you go from here?
Project Performance The bottom line:
Identify the individuals that You can improve your
will make your project
successful. Broker performance by
relationships between those
individuals. cultivating and leveraging
your networks
Professional Success Sales Performance
Analyze your work Identify the people that you
networks. Take corrective need to tap in order to
action to remedy any increase sales productivity.
network traps. Build those relationships.
Using Knowledge
Find knowledge hubs and
gatekeepers. Connect them to
improve coordination across
divisions.
49 50
Photo: Sizumaru’s Photo Stream, Flickr.
About the Presenter
• Founder of Partnering Resources, a management consulting
company.
• What stands out as • Specializes in helping companies meet complex change and
collaboration challenges using network knowledge.
most relevant to your
• Client list includes Alcatel-Lucent, Andover / Phillips Academy,
work? eCopy, eTeck, Fidelity Investments, Financial Profiles, Hanover
Insurance Group, MIT, and Merrimack Pharmaceutical,
• What are your next National Air and Space Administration, and the National Braille
Press.
steps? • Teaches leadership, strategy, collaboration, and alignment through Boston
University Corporate Education Center.
• What are your • Published by CIO.Com, Mass High Tech, Chief Learning Officer, Talent
questions? Management, and other magazines and journals.
• Serves on the Editorial Review Board for OD Practitioner, the premier
organization development practitioner journal in the US.
• Blogs at http://partneringresources.com and http://www.futureofworkenabled.com
• Likes chocolate a lot.
maya@partneringresources.com |617.395.8396|http://partneringresources.com
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617.395.8396
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