16 Jan 08 @ 10:50 pm
The Value In Virtual Networks
Thanks to sites like LinkedIn and yes, Facebook, online social networking is making a strong presence in the professional sphere. And as Carolynne posted, organizations are starting to encourage employees to use social networking technology for collaboration and to create cross-office connections. But as we place ourselves in multiple virtual networks, how can we get the most out of our online presence? Know that the basic principles about networks apply; to get the value out of networks—online or otherwise—it’s important to know how they work:
There are four types of people who operate inside networks:
- Isolate: People who communicate infrequently, if at all
- Average: People who communicate with average frequency to a moderate number of people
- Bridge: Those who communicate with the same amount as others, but have key relationships with people from a variety of groups
- Star: Those who communicate and maintain relationships with a significantly greater number of people than the average person
There are going to be people who are more active in online networks just as they would be offline. One role isn’t necessarily better than another, but the roles people play inside networks can have consequences on who we know.
It’s about the strength of your network, not necessarily the size:
- There’s one variable that predicts relationship quality with more power than any other: frequency of contact.
- The more people you care for, the harder it becomes to care. We don’t have relationships, we grow relationships. Cultivate the ones that really matter.
- You only have so much time, and there are only so many people with whom you can share that time. So spend your time on the relationships that matter.
There’s power in the “weak tie:”
- If you’ve cultivated the right relationships, you’ll benefit from their networks.
- If you’re cultivating the relationships that really matter, those are the people who have the right amount of influence and credibility to connect you to their networks—thus, you’re establishing powerful “weak ties” without even knowing.
Informal Networks are often the most trusted source of information.
- Rumor mills exist because of informal networks.
- People inside organizations make value judgments based on the information they hear from their informal networks.
We flock to networks because they’re powerful—they connect us quickly to trusted sources of information. And we like online networks because they’re fast and they’re easy. Remember that easy doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more effective (read more about Media Richness here). While online profiles aren’t a substitute for interpersonal relationships, if managed properly, they can make our existing relationships stronger. As we build more networks online, remember—it’s still all about building the right relationships.
posted in category(s): Theory Points
