Five Network Purposes
by Patti Anklam
The purpose of a network is that which animates it and engages its members in caring about it. Because networks can be so rich and multilayered, I simplified the perspective by defining five broad categories of network:
- Mission: Social good or environmental improvement at the local, national, regional, or global level
- Business: Creation of tangible value — business development, production of goods and services, financial wealth, or any operationally output-focused endeavor.
- Idea: Generative thinking for innovation, problem-solving, or advocacy
- Learning:Continuous improvement and enhancement of personal or collective knowledge
- Personal: Individual support, growth, and knowledge
We see overlaps in all sorts, for example, we may develop a strong personal network in the context of our business or social pursuits, but the value we receive from each remains distinct. As I said in yesterday’s post, all networks have a purpose, and all networks produce value. The net work is to distinguish what that value is, and to take action to appreciate it and make it appreciate.
One of the exercises I include in my NetWorkShops is to ask participants to list the networks to which they belong, and to ascribe a purpose to each. People report overlaps, but also insights that come from clarifying what it is that they get from each network they belong to. This is part of the net work shift that comes with the network lens.
Recounting:
