Benjamin Cave – Trainer

@cave_ben20 April 2023

Network Thinking

Aim

To enable participants to apply network thinking to their work

Learning Objectives

Define 5 principles of network thinkingApply network thinking to professional challengesList support structures for a network

Exercise

Think of an example of knowledge organised in a tree structure…

What is the benefit of the tree structure?

Benefits of trees

Orderly Hierarchical Simple Unified Structured Intuitive

Hierarchies

Business

Family

Military

Governmental

Discussion

Could you make a tree of your friendship group?

How can equal things be expressed in trees?

Structures

A football team A business A friendship group

‘Tree thinking’ cannot be used to organise networks…

… you need a new principle

Giles Deleuze Felix Guattari

Rhizomes

“Unlike trees or their roots, the rhizome connects any point to any other point”

Image 1 credit: Library of Congress

Principles of Networks

Networks are not linear.

Networks have no origin point.

Networks cannot be controlled from the top.

Image 1 credit: WeRSM

Networks and Jobs

40% found job through social network referrals

63% of recruiters take referrals as #1 indicator of candidate quality

35% change jobs at least every 5 years

Principles of Network Thinking

1. Emergence over prediction2. Adaptability over control3. Redundancy over stardom4. Contributions over credentials5. Diversity over homogeny

Adapted from the Curtis Ogden from the ‘Interaction Institute for Social Change’

Meet Suhail and Mustafa

Your job: Help them win more business through network

thinking

Emergence

Network thinkers understand the limits of prediction and reduce reliance on projections

To do this they increase the diversity of data and information they have available to them

Example: A business adjusts the focus of an event to match the latest developments in the field

Our colleagues are seeking to grow their business in a new specialist area

How can they apply emergence to develop their

expertise?

Adaptability

Network thinkers prioritise flexibility over rigid delivery

To do this they focus on the outcome not the process

Example: A business brings in a colleague to support delivery of a project in another language

Suhail is bidding for a new contract

How can they apply adaptability to support his

bid?

Redundancy

Network thinkers reduce reliance on any one part of their network

To do this they identify and cultivate alternative relationships and switching with agility when needed

Example: A business keeps a list of skills in their network in case they cannot meet a need internally

Our colleagues have won their contract! Now they needs to resource the work

How can they apply redundancy to plan for

contingencies?

Contribution

Network thinkers look at the best person for a job not whether that person has a track record

To do this they constantly keep track of the skills in their network and apply new knowledge to each situation

Example: A business uses a trainer to promote their work in a specialist area

How can they apply contribution to decide who should run it?

Our colleagues are running a workshop for government officials

Diversity

Network thinkers embrace different perspectives

To do this they work on new projects and bring in new partners to support delivery

Example: A business partners with a freelance developer to deliver a project in a new technical area.

Mustafa has been approached to build an open data app

How can they apply diversity to locate technical partners?

Network Thinking for Nodes

1. Emergence - Keep up with others’ work 2. Adaptability – Be flexible in your plans3. Redundancy – Line up support from the network4. Contributions – Give new people a chance5. Diversity – Think about partnerships

Exercise

Move around the room and find out the specialism of 3 other

participants

Network thinking gives you the resources of a larger organisation while minimising your operational risks

Benjamin Cave – Trainer

@cave_ben20 April 2023

Thank You