Don't Use the Wrong Type of Network!!

Way back in 2021/2022 (as everyone clawed their way out of the pandemic era, I was fortunate enough to collaborate on an article with Jessie Elisberg and Terra Katzback on the topic of informal learning networks. Our finished product was published in January 2022 issue of ATD (magazine for the Association for Talent Development) titled The Perks of Informal Learning Networks.

There is a lot of beneficial tips and perspectives you can likely can from our three page article. Best of all, you can read it for free on the “Publications” page of my website (www.executivecommunicationadvisory.com). One of my contributions was the sidebar on types of networks. Networks is a topic you can dive much deeper into to than merely brief introductions at events. Part of this information are types of networking you can be part of with people.

Depending on what you need to accomplish and with who, understanding these differences can save time, energy and headaches. Here’s the sidebar for your convenience!

Sidebar: Use the Appropriate Network to Fit The Need

All networks are not the same. Some are official and others are informal. Regardless of a network’s formality, their structures fit into one of two general shapes, as Julie Battilana and Tiziana Casciaro discuss in their Harvard Business Review article “The Network Secrets of Great Change Agents”: cohesive and bridging.

In cohesive networks, a deeper level exists between members. That fosters higher levels of trust and confidence in people. Decisions and actions can occur more quickly with the increased level of familiarity between members.

Bridging networks typically span broader collections of people who are not as familiar with one another. What the network type lacks in intimacy, it makes up for in access to people with information, knowledge, and connections that are lacking in a cohesive network. There is also a higher likelihood of more objectivity and less groupthink among people with weaker personal ties.

The strength and advantages of these network types vary depending on the scenario. Your network’s shape will be largely defined by its purpose and the people in it. While informal learning networks tend toward a bridging model, if the network’s reason for being is of a sensitive nature, a cohesive one may be more appropriate.