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Improving Social Networks

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A Particularly Important Network Builder

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ABC Consulting (2 Minutes With Someone Next To You)

• What is the context (I.e., what is ABC, what is the situation that Bob has found himself in)?

•What did the SNA reveal for him? Be able to describe what you know and the data you are referencing.

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SNA Specifics • Level and Distribution of Connectivity (Sparse & Fragmented Network).

•Connectivity between sites (e.g., Walnut Creek insular).

•Lack of connection between Denver & Pasadena (yet served same customer).

•Pune, IN and Christchurch, NZ – not well connected with others but were supposed to be key service centers (outsourced to drive cost down).

•Network Rigidity Revealed by Distribution in Connectivity.

•Hierarchical network (as seen in the density table).

•Also, some people overly connected (the three all-nighter employee) and some leaders not well placed in the network.

•Expertise Groups (CoPs that ensure technical excellence across geography).

•Network Servers and Application Support/Development groups not well connected across sites.

•Insularity – very serendipitous and inward facing interactions. How to keep current?

•Leadership Networks – Bob needed to re-diversify his own network.

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What would you do (actions and information)?

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A Holistic Approach to Intervention... Organizational Context and Leadership.

• Planning, Operations, HR, Technology, Culture, Leader Behaviors, etc.

• 60 Point Diagnostic

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Assessing Context…

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A Holistic Approach to Intervention... Organizational Context and Leadership.

• Planning, Operations, HR, Technology, Culture, Leader Behaviors, etc.

• 60 Point Diagnostic

Relational Development.• Latent Networks

• Stages of Development

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Two Truths and a Lie Take 2 minutes to write down three things about yourself on a post it

note (you will share these things). These things should convey something interesting about you that others might not know (e.g., met Britney Spears).

Make two of the things truthful statements about yourself (I.e., truths) and one false (I.e., the Lie). Do not make the lie so obvious that others would pick it out immediately.

Meet five people in the room (at least a couple that you do not know well) and see if, in each interaction, you can determine the false statement.

Start a conversation by saying: “Hi. Here are three interesting things about me. Which is false?”

Be ready to tell me one interesting thing you learned!!

Learn Anything Interesting or Surprising?

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Social Network

“I am likely to socialize with this person.”

East Lawn

West Lawn

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Density Table

Social NetworkEast West Average East-West

Interaction

East 0.52 0.3516 0.32895

West 0.3063 0.4828

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Theme 1: Recommendations

• More lawn “mixers,” team-oriented competitions

• Have an across-the-lawn buddy

• Orientation procedures to promote relationships

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Theme 4: Crossing Functional and Hierarchical Boundaries

Garson Zeithaml Breneman Lancaster Carey

Know 4 20 5 4 9

Social 2 10 0 0 2

Help 1 5 1 1 1

Know Before 1 7 4 3 3

Van Lengen Coletta Elzinga Block Harmon

Know 5 17 27 12 16

Social 2 8 5 2 4

Help 3 4 3 3 3

Know Before 3 5 14 5 11

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Theme 4: Recommendations

Lawn faculty host get-togethers Lawn faculty mentor program Stronger initial effort to get

professors and students to interact

Team-oriented events with faculty sponsored teams or involvement

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A Holistic Approach to Intervention... Organizational Context and Leadership.

• Planning, Operations, HR, Technology, Culture, Leader Behaviors, etc.

• 60 Point Diagnostic

Individuals & Network Planning.• Intervening Based on Position.

• Assessing/Planning Individual Connections.

Relational Development.• Latent Networks

• Stages of Development

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Understanding the role of the individual in the context of the network allows us to improve overall connectivity…

Central people• Hold the network together

• Are an important source of expertise

• May become bottlenecks

Peripheral people• Are underutilized resources

• Feel isolated from the network

• Have a higher likelihood of leaving the company

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A Global Petrochemical organization was attempting to develop a community amongst its high end financial modelers distributed around the globe:

Network analysis allowed management to visualize isolates and clustering in this important group. Knowledge brokers were identified and provided a rapid and efficient means of promoting connectivity amongst the entire network.

Knowledge Brokers Can Be Tapped to Quickly Unite A Group…

      

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Quick Things

• Class on Wednesday:

•Each team have at least one (and preferably two) computers.

•Loaded with UCINET 6 (60 day trial version at www.analytictech.com).

•Have data set I sent out loaded!!

•Don’t be late!!