How to lead a network well? ideas from AoH Karlskrona
Hey all,
here’s some online fruits from the Art of Hosting training I am happy to attend in Karlskrona. We have a unique opportunity to learn together with many Kaospilots, MSLS-students, Team Entrepreneurs and other inspiring people from different networks.
I hosted a session in Open Space, (which Tennessee one of our excellent hosts calls the best tool to get people into action fast) session at Art of Hosting training in Karlskrona with a calling question or topic: Networks / Tribes – How do we eliminate the limits of growth?
We started with Oliver from Kaospilots, and soon also Marco from MSLS (thanks for harvesting), Rovan one of our hosts and Vilma from TA/PArtus/SoL joined the dialogue. Thanks all for participating and supporting the thinking together.
Impact for me to host this session is that I am part of many networks (e.g. SoL, The Hub, TeamAcademy, PrecencingInstitute, WorldCafe, AoH, AppInquiry etc.) that are growing and somewhat aligned, but still I wonder how we could really leverage the power of these networks making the world better. Also a question in my head is that why there are so many of them? Could we combine or bring them together somehow? Furthermore I am really pondering what we can learn from the way Open Source communities are being organized?
So here is some of our thinking:
Potential bottle necks limiting the growth of a network are for example but not limited to following:
1. Hierarchy: It’s hard to fight to the top of the hierarchy in order to get your voice heard.
2. Exclusive Inner Circle that is hard to be part of.
3. No room for action of members, if you need to act permission it may be hard to get
4. Values and spirit are not attractive
5. Somebody is exploiting the network
6. Business Model is not sustainable and
7. Communication or the lack f it
So, how do we eliminate the limits of growth? And what is this growth we are looking for? (Money/Members/Impact/Practitioners/etc/etc?)
Or, thanks to Rovan, the new question emerged: What are characteristics of good, nourishing leadership for a network/tribe? Here are some ideas that we came up with:
1. Open and transparency of decision making process and “organizational” structure, even if it’s dynamic. No Taboos or un-written rule. The aim should be to make the system as visible as possible.
2. Empowers loads of action (systemically): What is the minimum structure needed to enable self-organizing and action?
3. Good communication culture (this is the real challenge I guess)
4. Clear process of creation and updating the leading thoughts
5. Low entrance step, it’s easy to join, accessible.
6. Inclusive, nobody is left out if they want to contribute and participate.
7. Purpose large enough but clear enough. People should feel that I want to be part of this. Purpose is container both for action and expansion. Case: 350.org brought together many networks, as did Survival Academy.
All right, I also participated in two other session of which fruits I may share online later. But I really would appreciate any comments on this so the space is still open.
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about 1 year ago
… if working together creates value for the people engaged, then it doesn’t matter whether there are hundreds of different communities.
Collective value creation leads to trust building leads to collective acting:-)
The facilitative tools or platform so to say -for me at least;-)- are the new tools of the web age (as Peter Senge pointed out back in 2001 already in a radio interview). They ease communication, transparency about what groups are there.
Myself I am part of the PI Community, Global SoL Evolution, Lean Thinking, System Dynamics Society, and dozens of other communities. Always swimming across and between boundaries, connecting and knitting together the leashes.
Creating a sustainable carpet of collective wisdom over the -sometimes- diverse and numerous communities is one of our collective visions.
However I am not clear whether this is already the case. At present, despite the best time for a change I have often the feeling, when talking with friends, taking part in conversations (live or virtual) that communities are even more sticking together with their own folks. Closed circles so to say.
Am I blindfolded or am I looking from a strange perspective? How are the “older” business folks and youngsters connected? Where are the playgrounds like the Entrepreneurship Week or World Creativity & Innovation Week where we can jointly work together outside our familiar communities to co-create the future we wish to live in?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cheers, Ralf
about 1 year ago
Hi there,
What is Rowan’s last name? There are so many Rowans in the world. I just would like to be specific when talking about him.
Thanks and best regards, Ralf
(I sort of took some of your great thoughts and questions in http://etherpad.com/Ls-offenerBrief-SRo – translated in German) as we are in a deep change process at LockSchuppen. The Tribe is unclear how and where to move next;-)