But it turns out that a deeper look at network science shows this view is off-base, and that the reality is much less of a slog and a lot more fun.
Through a research-based study of network science, David Burkus pinpointed 11 universal principles that, if followed, can help us grow our productivity and creative thinking potential as we work better with our network.
2 comments:
To me this article feels less about networking and more about the importance of getting a people from a wide variety of backgrounds involved in decision making. This is one of the many reasons why diversity is so important. If a company's management is dominated by almost exclusively white cisgender men who come from relatively wealthy backgrounds, there are a lot of perspectives you will be lacking because of that narrow life experience. Sure they have all had different experiences and will all bring different ideas to the table, but you are still not getting nearly as many perspectives as you could be by having a more diverse workforce. That aside, I think it is also important to involve people who are involved during any phase of the process if they have any input when it comes to planning. Someone who will be fabricating a project is going to notice different potential problems and come up with different solutions than someone with an engineering background, and you need both of those perspectives. While I’m not entirely convinced this article is most applicable to networking, I do think the points it is making are very important ones.
The notion of networking is ingrained in our minds as an essential to launching a career, but if viewed from that perspective, it can seem shallow and greedy. As this article points out, making connections is more about forming relationships. If you show interest in getting to know a person rather than just “using” them to propel your goals, you can achieve a much more rewarding experience. I think of this often in school, when learning from my professors. I could simply think of my classes as a way to integrate their knowledge into my skillset. Yet I find that attending classes, especially at this university, are so dynamic because of the background and personality of the professor. I take great interest when the teacher connects lessons in class to lessons they have learned through life experiences, which is often the case in the School of Drama. This can make the curriculum more tangible and engaging.
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