This article is part 3 in a four part series on collaboration. Part 1 focused on how to build a powerful professional network with entry-level talent. Part 2 focused on building a collaborative advantage. Here we present five ways to thrive in the Networked Age.
Thrive in the Networked Age
According to LinkedIn co-Founder Reid Hoffman, we have officially transitioned from the Information Age to the Networked Age. I’m excited to build on Hoffman’s awesome idea and outline how you can thrive in the Networked Age as an individual and also as part of a community.
First, let’s define the Networked Age in terms that most readers of this blog will understand by focusing on people-centered-job-seeking, not looking-at-job-posting-online-job-seeking:
The Networked Age has radically changed this activity, and yet when you ask people how they look for a job, a surprising number continue to say they “search the job listings.” That’s the Information Age approach! In the Networked Age, you should look for people with connections to companies you’re interested in, trace the best path from those connections to people who can share useful intelligence, and then ask for introductions to those people.
Impact in the Networked Age
Second, in addition to getting ours by finding interesting work faster, the Networked Age allows for people to co-create ideas, foster sustainable partnerships, and generally transform the way that we collaborate. Here is a fantastic example of how the Networked Age can help communities realize their potential by connecting individual needs through powerful networks.
A couple atop Skwachays Healing Lodge in Downtown Vancouver
At Vancity Savings Credit Union, one of the ways that we create positive impact for our members is by leveraging the relevant and dedicated connections within our communities. Skwachàys (pronounced squa-chizeꞌ) Lodge and Residence is a fair trade art gallery, boutique hotel, and an urban Aboriginal artist studio that exists because of strong networks. Vancity’s bankers and community development experts collaborated with governments, the Vancouver Native Housing Association, and a network of architects, tradespeople, and artists to achieve this project. Today, Skwachàys offers a space for artists to sell their work for a fair market rate and also provides 24 shelter-rate apartments for Aboriginal people at risk of homelessness. No one group could have made the project successful. It took a community.
In addition to the positive impact being created by the financial co-operative at which I work, the Networked Age allows human beings to cut through too much information to find the right information faster. Emphasizing connectivity has the potential to foster deeper trust and understanding amongst people, too. Most importantly, when many people invest time, money and energy into an idea it is far more likely to succeed than if you go it alone. Co-operatives like Vancity are well-positioned to thrive in the Networked Age – the five-year survival rate of co-ops in BC is 66%; Industry Canada figures are 39-43% for conventional business start-ups.
Now let’s talk about how you can realize your potential through connectivity and collaboration.
Five Ways to Thrive in the Networked Age
Here a five ways to make a great transition from the Information Age to the Networked Age as an individual and as a community.
From Applying to Connecting
Stop applying for jobs online and start talking with people who are doing work that interests you. Learn about what it takes to do this kind of work and find ways to get that experience. Follow this link to the 99u Guide to Building Relationships and learn some incredible strategies for making powerful connections with your fellow human beings.
From Researching to Crowdsourcing
Stop doing everything yourself and leverage the power of your community by asking your friends, colleagues and social networks really good questions. Yes, you absolutely must vet your sources. For example, when I crowdsource an explanation of how Aboriginal kids were treated in residential schools I put more stock in information from people connected to ActiveHistory.ca than I do my friend Mark from New Brunswick. According to Fast Company’s Michael Papay, crowdsourcing can make you a more effective leader.IDEO’s Tom Kelley and David Kelley are also great thinkers on the subject of crowdsourcing, human-centered design and people-led-innovation.
From Building to Animating
Stop building new things and use the stuff that already exists more effectively. For example, it’s ridiculous for schools and associations to invest thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours into an online mentorship discussion forum when they can simply animate LinkedIn more effectively for their stakeholders by bringing to life the network to better realize their needs. Check out Toronto’s Centre for Social Innovation for more ideas about community animation.
From Hierarchies to Systems
Stop sharing and start co-creating amidst complexity. Corporate hierarchies are fantastic for sharing information from senior leaders to front-line employees. The problem with this model is that, while efficient, it is one-dimensional, not multi-dimensional, and limits the ability of great-idea-having front-line people to share their insights with the folks who have the title and authority to make decisions. The Harvard Business Review’s Nanette Fondas argues that a systems-approach to how employees manage work and home life has the potential to impact wellness and productivity, too.
From Winning to Co-opetition
Stop trying to win at your own life and start winning with your neighbours, your colleagues, your classmates, and fellow citizens. Especially when it comes to buying stuff. This is my grandest of hopes for the Networked Age: that we will collaborate to build healthier and happier communities. I’ve written about the idea of co-opetition at least once before. Or you can just watch videos of the San Antonio Spurs play basketball to understand co-opetition.
Welcome to the Networked Age. You will thrive in it.
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