Networks and KM:Evolving Networking Practices

Patti Anklam

Relationships are the main activity of business and work. – Theodore Zeldin, Work futurist

Mapping Social Networks in

Organisations

November 29, 2004London

©2004 Patti Anklam 2

Premises of SNA and KM

Networks matter Networks are everywhere Network analysis focuses “net work” Networks can be managed Leadership is about leveraging

networks KM becomes “knowledge networking”

©2004 Patti Anklam 3

Networks Matter

The complexity of work in today’s world is such that no one can understand – let alone complete – atask alone

Individual-individual Team-team Company-company

Strong networks are correlated with health: People with stronger personal networks are

healthier, happier, and better performers Companies who know how to manage alliances

are more flexible, adaptive and resilient

©2004 Patti Anklam 4

Networks are Everywhere

Visible Invisible Visible Invisible

Formal OrganizationHierarchyTeam

Processes AlliancesPartnershipsSupply chain

Consultants

Informal COPsProfessional associations

Personal,“social”

Consortia Executives’ “social” networksBoards

Individuals Companies

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Network Analysis Focuses Net Work

Team building Assessing communications and connectivity across

groups Connecting overlooked knowledge assets Finding key connectors in organizations Generating leadership networks Performance benchmarking Facilitating mergers and acquisitions Diagnosing patterns in communities of practice Competency assessment Addressing the “lost knowledge problem”

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Networks Can be Managed

What’s the question? What’s the context? What is the desired result? What’s the intervention?

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Design Matters

Scattered ClustersHub and Spoke

Multi-hub Small World

Core/Periphery

Source: Valdis Krebs

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Interventions

Act only in context Be prepared for surprises at every step

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Leadership is about Network Leverage

Work is conversation. The leader’s work is to create an environment where conversations happen

Possibility : Innovation Opportunity : Finding and Mobilizing Resources Action : Ensuring connectivity and clarity of roles Breakdown : Managing the network of support Acknowledgment : Building and Maintaining Trust Closure : Shifting the level of connectivity

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Patterns Evoke Responses

Overly central people Outliers Disconnected

networks Structural holes Internally focused

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Knowledge Networking Practices from the KM Repertoire

Ways to change patterns in networks

Practices from the KM Repertoire

Create more connections Make introductions through meetings and webinars, face-to-face events (like knowledge fairs); implement social software or social network referral software; social network stimulation

Increase the flow of knowledge

Establish collaborative workspaces, install instant messaging systems, make existing knowledge bases more accessible and usable

Discover connections Implement expertise location and/or; discovery systems; social software; social networking applications

Decentralize Social software; blogs, wikis; shift knowledge to the edge

Fill in structural holes Establish knowledge brokering roles; expand communication channels

Strengthen weak ties Assign people to work on projects together

Judiciously balance the use of direct and indirect ties

Network goal setting; network analysisEstablish roles and responsibilities

Alter the behavior of individual nodes

Create awareness of the impact of an individual’s place in a network; educate employees on personal knowledge networking

Increase diversity Add nodes; connect and create networks; encourage people to bring knowledge in from their networks in the world

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KM Generations

Generation of KM

Where Knowledge “Lives”

Type of Knowledge

Implications

1st Generation Artifacts Explicit Create the infrastructure for capturing, collecting, refining, reusing artifacts

2nd Generation Individuals Tacit Focus on collaborative behaviors and person-to-person knowledge exchange

3rd Generation The network Emergent Provide the conditions for enabling knowledge and action to emerge

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Conditions

Businesses cannot survive without networks

Individuals learn how to build, use and sustain personal networks

Work practices bring the network to bear

Technologies come of age

Networked forms of organization take their place along formal structures

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Personal Networks and PKM

PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) Productivity through faster access to

one’s own “captured” environment Includes contact management

Fundamental to personal professional development Mentoring programs Teaching new hires to build networks

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Work Practices

Conditions for connectivity Physical environment The “white space” of processes

Reflective practices After-action reviews Peer assists Action learning

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Technology Conditions

Powerful Internet, intranet, and personal search connect people with people through content

Collaboration products are mature

Social software is leap-frogging the technology hype cycle

Internet social networkingsoftware is the venture capitalist’snew dream machine

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Organizational Forms

Examples: Communities of practice The “Hollywood” model of project staffing Outsourcing

Dimension “Old” Model “New”Structure/Control Hierarchical, designed,

command & controlNetwork, emergent, self-managing

Relationships Competitive Cooperative

Roles Formal, fixed Informal, organic

Decision-making Rational Intuitive, synthesizing

Management is Done TO People Done WITH People

Top Management Sets Direction, manages implementation

Creates enabling environment

Source: Steven P. Borgatti

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Knowledge Management Becomes Knowledge Networking

Summary: Networks matter Networks are everywhere Network analysis focuses “net work” Networks can be managed Leadership is about leveraging networks KM practitioners have the right repertoire

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What is the Work You Need to Do?

Thank You!

Additional Resourceshttp://www.byeday.net/http://www.byeday.net/weblog/networkblog.html

Contact:Patti Anklam, patti@byeday.net