Personal Networking

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Personal Networking

• Networking Competency and Strategies

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Outline

• Networks _at_ 3 Levels
• Personal networking and performance
• Methods for uncovering personal networks
• Summary

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Levels of Networks
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One Minute Introduction to ONA Maps

• Individuals are represented as circles (nodes)
• An arrow pointing from one individual to another
  indicate the direction of the relationship
• Colour or shape of node can represent
  organisational belonging, geography or other
  relevant attribute

Eg. Linda often asked for input
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Identify Unofficial Organizational Roles

• Central connector
• Go-to people
• Boundary spanner
• Bridging networks
• Information broker
• Moves knowledge around
• Peripheral specialist
• Outside the network

and the unintended consequences of assigning
some types of role!
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Types of ONA Maps

• 2 key types of ONA maps
• Ego-nets
• Mapping of individuals relationships
• For example
• Who do you ask for advice
• Who do you go for information?
• Affinity maps
• Mapping of links based on a shared attribute
• For example
• Who is a member of the local golf club?
• What are your professional interests?

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Personal Networking and Performance
What Does Your Personal Network Look Like?

• Egonets
• Skills
• Star Performers

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Exercise 2 - Personal SNA Exercise
Take 2 minutes to identify the top 5 people you
rely on for advice in performing your job
effectively
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Exercise 2 - Personal SNA Exercise

• What proportion are inside your (local)
  department?
• What proportion outside your firm?
• What proportion are in other cities of countries?
• How many nominated your direct manager?
• What proportion are friends in a social
  context?
• How aligned is your network with your job
  requirements?
• How much time do you actually spend with them?
• Hunter, gatherer, organiser, cook, consumer

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Your Networking Personality

• Networking Questionnaire Exercise

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Quick Questionnaire Part 1
Select the statements which you agree with the
most. 1. When evaluating opportunities, I am
likely to look a. For a chance to be in a
position of authority b. For the long-run
implications 2. My strength lies in the fact that
I have a knack for a. Being easy going b.
Getting a point across clearly 3. In discussions
among peers, I am probably seen as a. An
outspoken advocate b. Motivating people to my
views 4. In evaluating my aims in my career, I
probably put more emphasis on a. My ability to
create an aura of excitement b. Being in control
of my own destiny 5. I believe that people get
into more trouble by a. Being unwilling to
compromise b. Not letting others know what they
really think
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Quick Questionnaire Part 2
6. In a leadership role, I think my strength
would lie in the fact that I a. Won people
over to my views b. Kept everyone informed 7. As
a member of a project team, I a. Seek the
advice of colleagues b. Closely follow the
mandate of the group 8. Others are likely to
notice that I a. Let well enough alone b. Let
people know what I think of them 9. In an
emergency, I a. Take the safe approach b. Am
quite willing to help 10. I look to the future
with a. Unshakable resolve b. A willingness
to let others give me a hand
Source Burt, R., Jannotta, J. and Mahoney,
J.(1998), Personality correlates of structural
holes, Social Networks 20, pp. 63-87
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Survey Scoring

• Scoring Key
• 1 A
• 2 B
• 3 A
• 4 A
• 5 B
• 6 B
• 7 A
• 8 B
• 9 B
• 10 A

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Relationship to Performance?
Burt, R., Jannotta, J. and Mahoney, J.(1998),
Personality correlates of structural holes,
Social Networks 20, pp. 63-87
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Personal Networking and Performance
Burt, R. (2005), Brokerage and Closure An
Introduction to Social Capital, Oxford University
Press.
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Strategies and Efficiencies in Social Networks
Empirical Study

• Exploration strategies best early in career
• Exploitation strategies best for mature workers
• More frequent, shorter messages are associated
  with higher output!

Bulkley, Nathaniel and Van Alstyne, Marshall W.,
"An Empirical Analysis of Strategies and
Efficiencies in Social Networks" (February 2006).
Available at SSRN http//ssrn.com/abstract887406

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Personal Centrality Attributes?

• Advice Networks
• Positives Education, Activeness, Sex similarity,
  Hedonism, Tradition similarity
• Negatives Neuroticism, Race
• Friendship Networks
• Positives Education, Sex, Activeness,
  Agreeableness, Hedonism
• Negatives Neuroticism, Openness to experience
• Adversarial Networks
• Positives Extraversion, Neuroticism, Openness to
  experience
• Negatives Education, Agreeableness, Tradition
  similarity

Klein, K, Lim, B etal., (2004) How Do They Get
There? An Examination of the Antecedents of
Centrality in Team Networks, Academy of
Management Journal, Vol. 47, No. 6, pp.952-963
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Energy in Networks

• Energizers inspire innovation, participation,
  commitment
• But de-energizers can have have a bigger impact
  on networks than energizers!

Rob Cross https//webapp.comm.virginia.edu/Networ
kRoundtable/Home/tabid/1/Default.aspx
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Star Performers

• Initiative Blazing Trails in the Organisations
  White Spaces
• Networking Knowing who knows by plugging into
  the knowledge network
• Self Management Managing your whole life at work
• Perspective getting the big picture
• Followership Checking your ego at the door to
  lead in assists
• Teamwork Getting real about teams
• Leadership Doing small L in a big L world
• Organistional Savvy Using street smarts in the
  Corporate Power Zone
• Show Tell Persuading your audience with the
  right message

Kelley, R. (1998), Star Performers Nine
Breakthrough Strategies That You Need to
Succeed, Random House
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Go to people in the Sales Network
Who in the organisation has helped you win deals
gt 50mill.?
President
Vice President
gt 50mill deals
New Leverage?
High Value Nodes
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Indirect Methods for Uncovering Personal Networks

• CoP membership
• Discussion Group Mining
• E-Mail Mining
• Wiki Mining
• Web Mining

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CoP Mining Who should our knowledge brokers be?
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Tracking Discussion Activity over time
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E-Mail Mapping of your Social Network
CondorView Dynamic e-mail mapping over time
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Corporate Wiki Mapping
Wiki Editor Clubs?
Atlassian
Corporate
Free mail
Public Sector
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Web Mining Australian IT Outsourcing Market
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Personal Networking Tips

• Dont be neurotic!
• Have something unique to offer
• Be an energiser (not a de-energiser)
• Remember reciprocity, pay later is ok
• Aim to fill the white-space i.e. become a broker
• Manage your network
• Be a star performer, it can be learnt!

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Questions?

• Feel free to contact me on
• Email llocklee_at_optimice.com.au
• Mobile [phone]
• Visit www.optimice.com.au for papers
• Visit www.onasurveys.com to collect data for ONA.