art & science of networking

The Commonwealth Institute, 10/2/2012

617.395.8396maya@partneringresources.comwww.partneringresources.com 1

The Commonwealth Institute

October 2, 2012

Maya Townsend

Partnering Resources

The Art & Science of NetworkingYes, There Is a Science!

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The Point

The top 20% of performers in

organizations are more likely to cultivate and

leverage their networks.

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Objectives

• Increased understanding of the science behind networking

• The three different kinds of networks—strategic, operational, and personal—and how to use each one

• Preliminary strategic analysis of their own networks

• Identification of the gaps in their personal networks and ideas about how to fill those gaps

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Howdy, Neighbor!

• Turn to the person next to you.

• Swap business cards.

• 3 minutes to discuss:► What do you like most

about networking?

► What is your greatest fear or concern about networking?

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What is a network?The science of networksHow high performers use networksAnalyzing your networksWatch out for network trapsHow to do it

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Networks are about movement

Computer networks move data from location to location

Public transportation networks help people travel in cities

The circulatory system carries oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from our cells

What is a Network?



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The Simplest Network

You have a question

You ask your friend Mary

She doesn’t know the answer and calls

Sam for advice

Sam knows how to answer the

question so Mary connects you to

Sam

Problem solved!

Human networks are also all about movement: The movement of information

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All In All…

• A network consists of the trusted relationships created in order to…► Exchange information

► Complete work

► Get advice

► Solve problems

► Socialize

Image: TouchGraph.

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Networks versus Social Networks

Social network tools help us develop and maintain networks But the goal is the network

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Networks are Ancient

Tribe 1155

Village 148

Overnight Camp

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Core Group

2 - 6

© 2011 Maya Townsend. Data: Christakis & Fowler, Connected.

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Weak Links are Important

Weak links are more casual, sporadic,

unplanned, or fleeting

© 2011 Maya Townsend. Image: WebWizzard on flickr.com.14

The Power of Weak Links

• Weak links outperform strong links when attempting to connect to a different world

• 25% of jobs secured through contacts who were hardly ever seen (Granovetter study)

Data: Koch & Lockwood, Superconnect.



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Critical Connector Quiz

If you answered “Yes” to questions…

#1 AND #3 – Put a yellowdot on your name tag.

#2 AND #6 – Put a greendot on your name tag.

#4 AND $5 – Put a red dot on your name tag.

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The Secret to Managing Networks: Critical Connectors• Identified by Dr. Karen

Stephenson• Exist in all networks• Critical Connectors

comprise only 5% -15% of the network

• Three Critical Connectors ► Hubs► Gatekeepers► Pulsetakers

Image: © 2005 NetForm, Inc. Used with permission.19

The Hub

• Highly and directly connected with many people

• Communicate and disseminate knowledge through the organization

GaryHarry

Chris

Cathy

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The Gatekeeper

• Serve as links between departments, functions, and groups

• Act as information gateways

• Broker knowledge between critical parts of the organization

GaryHarry

Chris

Cathy

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The Pulsetaker

• Have maximum influence using minimum number of direct contacts

• Work through indirect means

GaryHarry

Chris

Cathy



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The Pulsetaker: 6º of Separation Master

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Companies like Org Charts…

Jane is at the individual contributor level on the org chart

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But There’s More to the Story

Jane

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Howdy, Neighbor!

• Turn to the person on the other side.


• 5 minutes to discuss:► Do you think you might

be a hub, gatekeeper, or pulsetaker? If so, why?

► What hubs, gatekeepers, and pulsetakers do you know at work?

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Network Knowledge & High Performance

• 36 - 42% more likely to exceed expectations

• 43 – 72% more likely to be promoted

• 42 – 74% more likely to stay with the company

41%

34%

5%

30%

24%

12%15%

11% 11%

"Far Exceeds"Expectations

Promoted to HigherRank

Left Company

BLP Graduates Control Group Others in Top 5 Job Ranks

From Burt & Ronchi, “Teaching Executives to See Social Capital: Results from a Field Experiment.”



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High Performers are More Likely to…

• Build high-quality relationships

• Invest in relationships to extend expertise, balance biases, and prevent career traps

• Position selves at key network points and leverage people around them

• Cultivate select ties with external experts

The top 20% of employees are more likely to build and maintain personal

networks

From Cross, Thomas, & Light, How Top Talent Uses Networks and Where Rising Stars Get Trapped.29

Network Considerations of High Performers

• Operational

• Personal

• Strategic

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Operational Networking

• People who can help you…

► Get work done

► Fulfill your work responsibilities

• Contacts are usually internal and

focused on current demands

• Your job: build strong working

relationships

• Who do you need in order to get

things done?

Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review.31

Personal Networking

• People who can help you…► Grow personally and professionally

► Provide referrals to useful information and contacts

► Give honest, caring feedback

• Contacts are usually external and share current interests or future potential interests

• Your job: Reach out to people who can make referrals or give advice

• Who do you need in order to develop professionally?

Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review. Image by Wonderlane on flickr.

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Strategic Networking

• People who can help you… ► Figure out future priorities and

challenges

► Get stakeholder support for the future you want to create

• Contacts are future-oriented and can be internal or external

• Your job: Create leverage—draw on resources from one area to achieve results in another

• Who do you need to build the future you want?

Three types of networking from Ibarra & Hunter, Harvard Business Review. Image: Aussie Gal on flickr.33




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Connections in my field

Last full-time job

Connections where I teach

University client

Former client

Board connections / Boston connections

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Critical Connector

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Advisory Board Member

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Colleague Just Back in Workforce

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Quick Network Assessment

1. Jot down the ten people you interact with most frequently on the job

2. Identify differences

3. Identify networks

4. Assess strength

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Analyzing Your Network

• Turn to the person behind you.


• You have 10 minutes:► What strengths do you see

in your network?

► What red flags do you see?

► What might you do to leverage strengths and address red flags?



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Watch out for network traps…

Images: Gijs van Kooten et al. Traps: Cross, Thomas, & Light, How Top Talent Uses Networks and Where Rising Stars Get Trapped

The bottleneckThe bottleneckThe bottleneck The biased learner

The disconnected expert

The formalist

The surface networker

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Quick Quiz: Network Traps

Which network trap are you most likely to fall into?

(A) Bottleneck – Has too much on their plate or has a tendency to be controlling

(B) Formalist – Relies too much on the formal structure and misses the nuances

(C) Disconnected expert – Knows what they know… but doesn’t keep up with new learning

(D) Biased learner – Draws too much on old relationships or “like” individuals

(E) Surface networker – Knows a lot of people superficially but hasn’t built trust

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What can you do if you’ve fallen into a networking trap?

BottleneckFind information, decisions,

and tasks that can be reallocated and/or mentor others to provide backup

Formalist Identify brokers, informal

decision makers, and other key network players and

align with the formal system

Biased learner Identify areas of

overinvestment and underinvestment and take

steps to balance the network

Disconnected Expert Identify skill gaps and build ties to those who can help

fill gaps

Surface networker Refocus attention on what

can be offered, not just what can be received, and

build relationships with critical individuals

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A Common Tip for Network Building



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Managing Relationships

Two disconnected

people

Create a weak tie

Do nothing; maintain weak tieW

eak

tie

Build tie strength

Str

ong

rela

tions

hip

Maintain relationship

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The Minimalist Approach

Identify the critical connectors and gaps in your network. Then…

1. Schedule two coffee meetings per month

2. Forward two emails per week

3. Walk around the office and talk with people two times per day

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Key to Building Your Network

Photo: Sizumaru’s Photo Stream, Flickr.50

Where can you go from here?Project Performance

Identify the individuals that will make your project

successful. Broker relationships between those

individuals.

Sales Performance

Identify the people that you need to tap in order to

increase sales productivity. Build those relationships.

Using Knowledge

Find knowledge hubs and gatekeepers. Connect them to improve coordination across

divisions.

Professional Success

Analyze your work networks. Take corrective

action to remedy any network traps.

The bottom line:You can improve your

performance by cultivating and leveraging

your networks

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• What stands out as most relevant to your work?

• What are your next steps?

• What are your questions?

About the Presenter

• Founder of Partnering Resources, a management consulting company.

• Specializes in helping companies meet complex change and collaboration challenges using network knowledge.

• Client list includes Alcatel-Lucent, Andover / Phillips Academy, eCopy, eTeck, Fidelity Investments, Financial Profiles, Hanover Insurance Group, MIT, and Merrimack Pharmaceutical, National Air and Space Administration, and the National Braille Press.

[email protected] |617.395.8396|http://partneringresources.com

• Teaches leadership, strategy, collaboration, and alignment through Boston University Corporate Education Center.

• Published by CIO.Com, Mass High Tech, Chief Learning Officer, Talent 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.

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