You can gain great insights by viewing your work as part of a network. Here’s a simple exercise that can get you started developing the new mindset. It’s an adaptation of work from June Holley and The Monitor Institute. We think you’ll find it useful.
  1. If you don’t know them yet, you will need to spend five minutes familiarizing yourself with the basics of network terminology. It’s not that hard and we’ve got a nice little primer that you can read here.
  2. Gather your team together around a whiteboard or clipboard with a large black marker.
  3. Then think of a project that you are currently working on.
  4. Draw a node for yourself and label. Then draw nodes for others you are working with on that project.
  5. Draw lines between you and the others. Then draw lines between any of the people in the project who know each other.  This is the Project Core.
  6. Draw nodes for other individuals and organizations that you are working with on the project, but less frequently, and draw lines to the individuals in your project network who have the relationship with that individual. This is your Project Periphery.
  7. Add other individuals or groups they are connected to (who might add value to your project) and draw lines connecting them. This is Your Friends’ Friends Network.
  8. Around the outside edge, put nodes for individuals or groups you are not working with on this project, but who could add value to the project if they were involved. This is your Potential Network.

Then reflect on what you notice about this network:

  • Is your project periphery easy to access for the resources and expertise you need?
  • Is your core large enough to get the work done?
  • Who in the periphery, friends’ friends, or potential network would add most value to your project network if they could become part of the core? Part of the periphery? How might you connect with them?
  • Are there opportunities to create value by connecting people?

Source: June Holley’s “Map Drawing Activity”, WorkingWikily Photo Source: luc

Related Posts: Does your organization have a healthy network?,Networks for social impact: making the case, What network stage is your community?, How to weave a tighter community, Using the Network Lense: Mapping your Community

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Related Posts: Networks for social impact: making the case, What network stage is your community?, How to weave a tighter community, Using the Network Lense: Mapping your Community

Print Friendly Print Friendly

Tags: , ,