ANNOTATION

Understanding informal relationships within an organization is the key to managerial success. As companies become less hierarchical, managers will need to know who the players are in the informal networks. There are new technologies available that can help map out three vital networks, the trust network, the advice network and the communication network. These maps represent the way people share information, who they talk to, who they go to for advice and who they rely on to keep delicate information safe. Understanding how these networks operate will allow managers to build stronger more effective teams, identify key players, and reveal holes in the network that may have gone unnoticed in the larger picture.

SELF REFLECTION

The first thing that most of us get on our first day on the job is the organizational chart. We all need to know who’s who in terms of leadership and who each department head is so that we can determine protocol for “following the chain of command”. This is an old system that mostly works. Yet there are always those who block information, make our jobs easier and most importantly serve as mentors and confidants. I wish that I had a tool like this early on in my corporate career. While I do believe that such a map would infringe on some privacy issues, if used appropriately it would have been so nice to skip the months and months of speculation to identify these lines of connection organically. I look forward to one day having the opportunity to test such a map in the real world.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://hbr.org/1993/07/informal-networks-the-company-behind-the-chart

Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J. (1993). Informal networks: The company behind the chart. Harvard Business Review, 71(4), 104-111.

ANNOTATION

Tortoriello shares with his readers how leaders can increase innovation within their organizations by encouraging the sharing of information across social and geographical spaces. The theory is based on understanding the informal networks within the company and being able to identify the key players that connect individuals with network range and who can serve as conduits for information. There are four key factors in an effective network: boundary spanning, tie strength, network range, and network structure and cohesion. The power of your network can be harnessed by analyzing and mapping vital informal networks, identifying areas of weakness, bolstering tie strength, range and cohesion and by knowing when not to push it too far. The best way to leverage the power of a network is by listening to your people, hearing their needs, and by helping them create their own conditions for improving network connections.

SELF REFLECTION

As a publicist, I’m often in the role of bridging networks. My personal ties are strong, but I’m limited to a few conduits in each network bubble. This means that I’m highly reliant on a few people and have little access to the networks outside of these individuals. I think what resonates most for me by Marco’s research is that it is the information shared that really matters. The network is just a channel in which we have access to better information and the potential for greater innovation. I’m enlightened by his practical strategy for improving network strength and bandwidth.

Tortoriello, M. (2014). The Importance of Strong Ties: Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow. Expert Insight. pp 58–65.