Networking... LO7828

John Constantine (rainbird@trail.com)
Tue, 11 Jun 1996 07:49:38 -0700

Jessica Lipnack wrote:
>
> In response to Doug Seeley's question:
>
> > It appears to me that the challenge is how to nurture this
> >role of informal networks, as the key adaptive strategy of
> >the organization. Does anyone have any idea what this strategy
> >actually looks like in organizations?
>
> I'm smiling as I write this, Doug, because of the unusual number of times
> someone asks a question in this list and someone else says, "Yes, I have
> ideas about that. In fact, I wrote a book about it."
>
> So I'm laughing because I do have some ideas about your question and in
> fact, Jeff Stamps and I wrote a book about it (THE AGE OF THE NETWORK)
> which I referenced a few weeks back in response to this "Informal
> Networks" thread.
>
> We regard networks--both informal and formal ones--as the successors to
> hierarchy and bureaucracy, not replacements for them but in addition to
> them. We agree with you that networks are a key adaptive organizational
> strategy. In the organizations that we've studied, they have been
> successful because they have made their networks explicit. I know that
> this idea rubs many people on this list the wrong way. For many people,
> the idea of making an informal network "formal" in any way defeats its
> purpose.
>
> Networks gain power and legitimacy by becoming more explicit about their
> work. Yes, the hierarchy can squash a network but it can also benefit from
> it. The organizations that we've studied which are the most successful are
> those that use each form of organization for what it does best--and
> networks are critical to the organizational mix of the moment.

In re the subject of networks and networking...have such not been around
since creation? Are organizations not "successful" based upon their
success at networking (in its many forms)? How then do we breed better
managers, more adept and attuned to the joys and advantages of
networking?

Regards,
John Constantine
Rainbird Management Consulting
PO Box 23554
Santa Fe, NM 87502
505.473.0331

-- 

John Constantine <rainbird@trail.com>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>