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Connecting the DotsFew words are as ubiquitous in organizations these days as “network,” and few hold so
many different meanings. I read an article recently by an expert in intergenerational communications at work, who points out that what you think a network is varies a lot depending on how old (or young) you are: baby boomers may think first of the broadcast networks they grew up with, people in their 30’s and 40’s may think of professional connection-building, while those under 25 will tell you about the online social networks
they frequent. But there’s little doubt anymore that the kind of participatory networks that have sprung up both inside existing organizations and in the world at large as a result of Internet technology are not only here to stay, they’re taking over how we all connect.
Let me identify myself up front with the view that the Internet has enhanced, not detracted from, the way we humans connect with one another. Sure, few of us sit down
anymore and pen those long, lyrical letters to family and friends – but let’s be honest, you stopped doing that well before the Internet was even a gleam in Al Gore’s eye. If you stop to think how many people you are now in touch with regularly and frequently through the magic of email, you’ll start to get a feel for how much our own personal social and business networks have grown in the past decade or so. This is generally a
good thing, since the range and strength of our connections help determine how healthy and emotionally satisfied we are.
If you think of an organization as a living, breathing organism and not just the sum of its org charts, it’s easy to see how participatory networks are its nervous system. They carry information, store knowledge, react to outside stimuli, initiate action, and regulate the behavior of the organization. Of course these networks were always there, not very
far beneath the surface of the “official” structure of the organization, but today’s technology enables them to extend farther, operate more rapidly, and behave more fluidly than ever before. They are also more volatile.
Effective leaders have always known how to tap into both the formal and informal networks to gather information, align the organization, and motivate the workforce, but in today’s hyper-connected environment that is, paradoxically, sometimes a lot harder to
do than it used to be. To some, the risks seem far greater than the rewards. Those leaders who are uncomfortable with the new technologies or the messy chaos of the new connected universe often revert to the old hierarchies of command-and-control; I heard a story last week about a company that, in the name of security, has ordered the disabling of all USB ports on its employees’ computers. Yeah, right.
Understanding and participating in the naturally occurring, self-organizing networks in your company would seem to be a more powerful strategy for you as a leader than trying to corral or influence them. Leadership, after all, is exercised through the relationships you build and the conversations you have. The kind of networks that are reality for the newest members of the workforce are all about creating connections –
relationships – and joining in the nonstop conversations that they spawn. You certainly can’t control them, and your ability to influence them may be limited, but you can always learn from them.
“Only connect…” Coaching is a great way to help you see how you are connected to the people you want to lead. Let’s talk about how coaching can work for you. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
While there are elaborate software programs now available to chart large-scale social networks, you can learn quite a bit by mapping your own networks of relationships using pencil and paper. Using the same brain-storming technique you may have used to “mind-map” your thinking
about a problem or issue, simply start by putting down the names of all the people and organizational entities that have any connection, no matter how weak or strong, to the problem you are currently working. Keep going, filling up your paper, until you run out of names. Step back and look for existing or known connections, and link the individual names by drawing lines between them; you can also indicate the strength of the connection
and the direction of influence. Next, ask yourself who there might be in some of these other people’s networks who might bring a different perspective or additional resources to solving your problem. Again, look for connections. Finally, ask yourself what or who is missing from the map, and where you might go to look for it.
Once you have mapped your network for several of your issues or problems, you may start to see some patterns, including some areas
where your network is strong and some where it needs to be developed. What else do you notice about your network: Which way does the influence appear to flow most often? Where are the strongest and weakest ties, and how do elements of your network connect to each other? What strategy can you employ to broaden and deepen the relationships that matter most for most issues that matter to you? |
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Over 50% of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, according to Hallmark. In other words, you are not alone.
About 35% of those who attend the Superbowl write it off as a corporate expense. In other words, we all paid for it.
Like their lower-paid employees, executives are increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs. A recent survey by recruiting company ExecuNet found that 87% want to leave their firms sometime in 2007. The lack of challenging work tops the list of reasons. In other words, money isn’t everything. 
Tech Neck An increasingly common work-related ailment caused by the strain of typing on a laptop computer. 
 The Man From Elysian Fields, directed by George Hickenlooper. What I like about it: It’s Valentine’s Day, and here’s a little movie about
love and ambition that is a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. The storyline explores the interplay between the light and the dark sides of both these powerful emotional states, and it’s got a great cast. If you ever wondered what Mick Jagger would look like with a haircut and a bespoke suit, this will scratch that itch for you. And it turns out he can act, too. Who knew?
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates  The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenengger. What I like about it: This fast-paced novel is about a man whose DNA causes him to travel forward and backward in his own lifetime, meeting and engaging
with his own self at younger and older ages. It encompasses many ethical dilemmas around how we choose to show up in life. Some interesting questions this book posed for me are, what advice would my older self provide my younger self? If I could join my younger self at a particularly stressful past event, how would I provide self-care? How often are my thoughts in the past or in the future, as opposed to the present?
Barbara Rinaldi
Leadership Coaching Student
Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Certificate Program
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