The “I” Network: Smarter Professional
Networking Beth Kanter, Master Trainer, Author, and Speaker I-We-It Social Change Leadership Retreat – April, 2015

Why I Am Excited About
Networks and Networking @kanter http://bethkanter.wikispaces.com/I-We-It

“You are not ever a
genius all by yourself. Your ideas are a function of the people you are connected with…” – Carol Dweck, Author, Mindset

Personal Professional Social Media What
is the “I” Network? Offline: Strong Ties Online: Weak Ties Photos: Flickr – micaelswiet and creative commons

Benefits of Smarter Professional Online
Networking • Access to quick conversations, expert opinions, issue or system scan • Leads to new ideas, new connections • Get real-time insights • Efficient way to find out what people in your network are doing and whether to reconnect • Facilitates connections at conferences and meetings • Open doors, build relationships with experts, influencers, or others

Personal Professional Private Public Personal
Professional Private Public Worlds Collide: Boundary Navigation Skills

Turtle • No online networking
or profile locked down • Only connects with family and personal friends • Little benefit to your organization/professional Jelly Fish • Profile open to all and connects with everyone • Share content & engage frequently with little censoring • Potential decrease in respect Chameleon • Profile open or curated connections • Networking strategy • Helps you solve problems or reach goals Based on “When World’s Collide” Nancy Rothbard, Justin Berg, Arianne Ollier-Malaterre (2013) What Kind of Networking Animal Are You?

I-Network Strategy: A Strong Core
Source: Managing Yourself: A Smarter Way to Network by Rob Cross and Robert J. Thomas “Core connections and relationships must … • Bridge smaller, more-diverse groups and geography. • Result in more learning, less bias, and greater personal growth. • Model positive behaviors: generosity, authenticity, and enthusiasm.

Building A Robust I-Network Strategy
1 Analyze 2 De-Layer 3 Diversity 4 Capitalize Source: Managing Yourself: A Smarter Way to Network by Rob Cross and Robert J. Thomas

Use the Worksheet To Analyze
• Age • Organization • Gender • Hierarchical Position • Area of Expertise • Geographic Location Based on the work of Harold Jarche and Robert Cross • Information and learning • Political support and influence • Personal development • Personal support and energy • A sense of purpose or worth • Work/Life balance DIVERSITY BENEFITS

Create Your I-Network Map •
Use sticky notes, markers and poster paper to create your professional network map. • Think about your challenge, organizational goals or professional goals and relate to your analysis • Decide on different colors to distinguish between different categories of people • Show how people are linked to each other and what extended networks they bridge you to

Analyze Your Map • Who
in your core can help with your challenge? What type of people do you need to add? • Is your core diverse enough? • What networks do people in your core bridge you with? • Are you getting new ideas from your core? • Are there people who steal your energy? How to remove? • Does your core provide all the benefits? Gaps? • How can you research and connect online via social? • How can you maintain relationships online and offline?

Leverage Weak Ties Online •
Social media can speed your connections to the right people and help you maintain relationships over time consistently. • Embrace weak ties strategically • Favor test and other ways to set limits on accessibility and who you respond to • Kondo your connections • Online Rolodex • Pre-Event Connection • Make or Get Introductions • Growing Your Network • Reconnecting • LinkedIn Group Participation

Thank you! www.bethkanter.org www.facebook.com/beth.kanter.blog @kanter
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