How leaders create and use networks (article comment)
Today I would like to comment on a report by two INSEAD professors. It concerns their two-year study of 30 managers who were going through a leadership transition.
One of their findings: “The alternative to networking is to fail – either in reaching for a leadership position or in succeeding at it”.
The authors describe three types of networking: operational, personal and strategic. Each of which has a purpose.
Operational networking helps the managers to get work done efficiently. The purpose here is to ensure coordination and cooperation. This type of networking is the easiest for upcoming managers.
Personal networking occurs via associations, alumni groups and the like. It can be a safe space for personal development as well as providing the foundation for strategic networking. You can use it to talk about problems and seek insight into solutions. Personal networks are largely external to the corporation.
Strategic networking includes both lateral and vertical relationships. Leverage is key to this type of networking. “What differentiates a leader from a manager is the ability to figure out where to go and to enlist the people and groups necessary to get there.” Some managers dismiss strategic networking as being too “political”.
Aspiring leaders need to be conscious of the time and effort required to network and need to allocate it accordingly.
“Building a leadership network is less a matter of skill than of will.”
Related links:
- Reference: “How Leaders Create and Use Networks”, H. Ibarra & M. Hunter. Harvard Business Reveiw, January 2007. http://hbr.org/product/how-leaders-create-and-use-networks/an/R0701C-PDF-ENG
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