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effective network management

5 Critical Tasks for Effective Network Management

5 Critical Tasks for Effective Network Management

effective network management

Managing a network of community partners is no easy task. Unlike typical hierarchical organizations, a network is horizontal with few formal mechanisms for accountability through control. Network leaders have to rely on more abstract ideas like trust and mission alignment to keep their partners accountable, engaged, and committed to the network over the long term.

Milward and Provan (2006) proposed five core tasks that network leaders and managers must keep in mind to create effective and sustainable networks. These five tasks include:

  1. Management of Accountability
  2. Management of Legitimacy
  3. Management of Conflict
  4. Management of Design
  5. Management of Commitment

Read our full infographic explaining these five management priorities, and let us know if you think there’s any missing below in a comment.

Want to learn more about effective network management? Visit our Network Leadership Resource Library to see blogs, webinars, and other infographics on this very important network leadership topic. You can also share a comment below with the VNL community to add your thoughts on the subject. We hope you found our infographic helpful and informative!

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Picture of About the Author: Alex Derr, MPA
About the Author: Alex Derr, MPA

Alex is Director of Marketing & Communications at Visible Network Labs. His interests include public policy, environmental conservation, and the intersection of grassroots advocacy and digital communication strategies.

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PARTNER CPRM leverages network science methods and measures to capture relationship data, manage community partnerships, and map and analyze networks. The end result: stronger ecosystems and scaled collaborative impact. Start building partnerships with a network strategy: Learn more below!

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Managing & Tracking Your Community Partner Ecosystem

  • Set up your community partners in a unified database.
  • Build relational surveys to collect data and identify key players.
  • Measure trust, value, and perceptions across your ecosystem.
  • Inventory partner contributions to identify hidden assets.
Aug 13: Free “Chaos → Clarity” community partner-management webinar

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A template to map the connections and interactions between key stakeholders in your community.

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