Top Five Network Leadership Resources
As more and more organizations partner together to share resources and increase their impact, we are witnessing the development of an entirely new field, which we like to call “Network Leadership”. Unlike traditional leadership which relies on hierarchies and clearly defined authority, network leadership is fluid, flexible & shared between individuals and organizations. Working in such a capacity requires a special set of skills, tools and knowledge to lead effectively. We’ve collected five of the top resources for those new to network leadership.
Now, if you want to delve even deeper into network leadership, we recommend signing up for one of our Learning Lab workshops to really explore these concepts. Our Network Leadership Training Academy, April 15-17, can provide you the skills and resources you need to succeed as a network leader! We’ll come back to that later though… here’s our top 5 network leadership resources!
1. Network Weaver Blog
Network Weaver is a collection of network leadership consultants and practitioners from all over the country. Their website has great free resources for network leaders including a glossary of network terms, case studies, and best practices. They also sell a Network Weaver Handbook with even more information.
2. Leadership Learning Community
The Leadership Learning Community is a national nonprofit that focuses on Leadership development, evaluation and strategy. Their nationwide network of funders, nonprofit managers and leaders helps them identify trends in leadership, including the increasing importance of network leadership. Their blog has great articles and advice on maximizing social impact, and also offer consulting services for those looking for more assistance.
3. Interaction Institute for Social Change
The Interaction Institute for Social Change focuses on the intersection between networks, collaboration, equity and racism. IISC builds collaborative capacity in individuals, organizations, and networks working for social justice and racial equity. IISC offers trainings, consulting services, and a blog with great articles. Be sure to check out Curtis Ogden’s work, a VNL presenter and guest blogger!
4. Stanford Social Innovation Review
The SSIR is an amazing resources for any network or organization working on social impact issues. The Review has a good deal of free resources, articles and best practices on a range of social issues, including education, healthcare, housing, food & the environment. They also have pages that focus specifically on solutions and sectors, which can be very helpful for cross-sector networks. If you want full access to all their content, you can subscribe for a year for $39.99
5. Social Velocity Blog
Founded by Nell Edgington, Social Velocity is a consulting firm focused on helping nonprofits increase their efficiency and impact. While the company blogs on a variety of issues, their Networks Blog includes a number of helpful article for those new to the “network way of working.” She also provides consulting services for nonprofit coaching and strategy development.
Visible Network Labs
Don’t forget, we also work hard to create and share helpful articles, resources and tools for you here at Visible Network Labs! For those serious about expanding their skill-set and knowledge surrounding network leadership, check out our Network Leadership Training Academy this April 15-17, 2019. We also provide technical training on our network analysis tool, PARTNER, and a free monthly webinar series on related topics.
About the Author: Alex Derr, M.P.A.
Director of Marketing & Communications
Alex joined VNL in 2017, originally supporting our events. He now helps manages our communications and marketing strategy and content development work. Alex creates blogs, infographics, reports, and other content while managing our web and social media presence. He also runs our email marketing campaigns, tracks analytics, and conducts market research to drive our strategy. He supports our entire team with copywriting, graphic design and research, and helps with events, webinars, demos, and other online learning. When he isn’t at work Alex spends his time climbing 14ers (30 done, 28 to go!) and blogging on his own website, The Next Summit Blog.
