Network Leadership Resources
Our Resource Library contains dozens of articles, infographics, and webinars related to building, managing, and evaluating cross-sector community networks. Start by searching for a topic of interest or read our Intro Guide below.
Network Leadership is the practice of building, managing, and evaluating cross-sector community partnership with a network approach. While traditional leadership emphasizes hierarchal styles of leadership, network leaders must manage a dynamic environment without formal roles, hierarchies, or authority. There are a lot of common examples
7 Things Social Network Analysis Can Teach You About Your Collaborative
Social network analysis (SNA) has been around for many decades in academic circles, but it has only recently become a popular learning tool for networks and other collaboratives. For many decades we have built partnerships and collaboratives largely based on gut and intuition, utilizing a
PARTNER Method for Network Strategy: A Brief
A Network Science Brief from Visible Network Labs Once you make the decision to take a network approach to solving a problem, you need to design a specific strategy – the way you will build, manage and evaluate your network – in order to reach
Organizational Network Structures: 6 Common Examples
There are many different ways to structure a network… for example, in a decentralized structure, everyone in a network can be connected to everyone else, while in a centralized structure, everyone connects to a single, central entity. Each of these organizational network structures has its
Systems Thinking Quotes | 23 Favorite Thought-Provoking Sayings
Systems thinking is an important perspective for all network leaders! A network is fundamentally a system, experiencing many of the same dynamics that other systems go through, including emergence, feedback loops, and interconnection. We’ve come across many insightful systems thinking quotes and sayings over our
What is a Network Strategy? Why Is Having One So Important?
For those working in the field of social impact, building networks is part of the new normal. Creating partnerships with other organizations lets us share resources and knowledge, coordinate our action, and leverage diverse forms of value like influence and experience. However it is too
Webinar: Virtual Facilitation in the Age of COVID-19
https://youtu.be/phi5IWIBdiM Virtual Facilitation Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult… Our Webinar Can Help! COVID-19 has changed the way network leaders meet and engage with each other. Given the very real need to avoid face-to-face interactions and socially distance, many are turning to virtual facilitation to fill
Closed Vs Open Networks: When is Each Most Effective?
In network theory, a major focus of study is on the relative ‘openness’ of a network, and its relationship with network effectiveness. Specifically, people wonder whether the ideal is closed vs open networks. Coleman (1988) introduced a theory that claims tighter, densely interconnected, ‘closed’ networks
Network Purpose: What Can You Accomplish Collectively?
People build networks for a reason, what we call their “network purpose.” Some networks or alliances are extremely focused in what they address, while others take a more fluid approach and change their purpose over time. However, it’s important to pick a purpose with intent
Types of Organizational Networks: 6 Ways to Organize a Network
Organizational networks bring together numerous different organizations to work together and collaborate around a common purpose. However there are many different types of organizational networks, each oriented towards different goals and contexts. If you’re considering creating a network of partners, it’s important to know they
Digital Marketing for Networks, Coalitions & Alliances: Telling Your Network Story
In the world of social impact, marketing is often viewed as a bit of a dirty word. However, at its core, marketing is about sharing what you have to offer with the world to build support for what you do. For a network, coalition or
How to Build Partnerships with Community Organizations
Community partnerships are a powerful force for good when it comes to social change and impact. Building new connections with community organizations provides new ideas, resources and ways of thinking that can help you make the world a better place, whether you’re working to improve
Community Carrying Capacity to Address Health System Referrals: A Networked Approach
Visible Network Labs is constantly conducting new research into networks, including social connectedness, inter-organizational collaboration, cross-sector partnership, and community and public health. This new paper was introduced at the 2020 Journal of Health & Human Services Administration Symposium. As evidence emerges that health outcomes are
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