Networking....to the nth degree

So much reading, so few hours…

I read three articles this week:

A Practical Guide to Social Networks by Rob Cross, Jeanne Liedtka, and Leigh Weiss
The article helped clarify the concept of social networks in a business environment based on tangible positive results achieved by the highlighted organizations. I liked how the article focused on the business goals of the organization first and the use of technology second, as a supplement. This article forces the reader to think beyond the technology.

Missing from the article were examples of less-than-best practices—or examples of companies that tried, failed, and tried again. My natural response is to want to implement some new approaches in my own company. A review of failed attempts would help steer me in the right direction.

A key point that I agree with completely is that in order for a social network to be effective, it has to become a part of the company culture and supported at all levels of the organization. If company executives and managers at all levels do not support this concept or provide the tools and encouragement to make it happen, it will not succeed—especially at large organizations.

The other two articles I read were Clive Thompson on Real-World Social Networks vs. Facebook 'Friends' and Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg by Malcolm Gladwell. Thompson’s article contends that networks are more productive when its members know each other well. This premise, however, is challenged in Gladwell’s thoroughly entertaining article about Lois Weisberg. There are numerous examples of Lois accomplishing things (such as the Gallery 37 project) by reaching out to contacts that are described as “not close at all.” In addition, there are studies cited in which it is revealed that while employees may have found jobs by knowing someone at the company, a further evaluation shows that the 83.4% of those interviewed only occasionally or rarely saw their contacts. The conclusion appears to be that weak ties are more important than strong ones.

I believe there are merits in both conclusions. In my own experience at AU, I have seen where project groups’ interactions have improved as the students have gotten to know each other better. Conversely, I have had experiences where strangers (people connected to my connections on Linked In) have been willing to meet or talk with me. The take away from both articles for me is that networking is an ongoing and evolving process and in order to grow personally and professionally, it must be a regular part of one’s activities.

References:
Cross, Liedtka, and Weiss, “A Practical Guide to Social Networks,” Harvard Business Review, May 2005.
Thompson, Clive, “Clive Thompson on Real-World Social Networks vs. Facebook ‘Friends,’” Wired Magazine: 16.08, July 21, 2008.
Gladwell, Malcolm, “Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg,” The New Yorker, January 11, 1999.