Networks come in all shapes and sizes. However, if you want to be a system shifting network you will need to put in place scaffolding so that transformation can emerge easily and quickly. In nature, billions of soil organisms and mycorrhizal fungal mats work together to form this type of scaffolding to distribute resources and support the growth of plants and trees as they create a forest. There are 6 basic structures that work together to create an environment for rapid change. Some, such as innovation funds, have been prototyped by many different networks. Others, such as communications systems and governance systems, are still in their infancy. Join June Holley and Yasmin Yonis from Network Weaver for a discussion about the necessary scaffolding for truly transformational networks.

1. System Shifting Networks
September 2019
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ewNFR6FLPxmp5bemk0ZlFjA7JPtK5uMOejGq
4UExgo0/edit#slide=id.p

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3. ◎ Network: Over 9,000 people
who fund, run, and study
leadership development
◎ Collaborative Research:
Promoting cutting edge models
& innovation
◎ Application: Putting new models
into practice to scale leadership
impact on social justice issues
3
Leadership Learning Community

4. Introductions
June Holley Yasmin Yonis

5. Networks can only be transformative when they
have support for communication, self-organizing
and learning.

6. Today’s Session
1. Relationships: Give you a chance to meet others on the call
2. New ideas: Hear from June, Yasmin and others on the call about the
concept of scaffolding
3. Processing: Have a chance to ask questions and think about
applications in your work for creating network scaffolding.

7. Breakout rooms
● Your name
● Something about yourself (work, location, interests, etc)
● Why are you interested in scaffolding for system shifting
networks?
● What is the system(s) you are working to shift?

8. A system shifting
network is one where
participants
self-organize and learn
from numerous
collaborative actions to
better understand how
to shift oppressive
systems and co-create
new options.
In the chat, share the system you
are trying to shift and if you are
part of a network….

9. Groups of people
in System Shifting
Networks are
continually
forming new
collaborations.
1 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

10. System Shifting Networks are
continually bringing new
people, especially those often
under-represented, into their
collaborations bringing in new
perspectives. They work
explicitly to dismantle
racism, patriarchy and
hierarchy - which gives
space for new approaches
to emerge.
2 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

11. In these collaborative
projects, people learn
new skills and new ways
of working together, so
leadership is
continually expanding
and the number of new
projects continually
grows.
3 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

12. Projects are seen as
experiments – a way
to get more insight
into the system they
are shifting.
Networks learn what
works and do more of
it. They get insights
that help them work
in new ways.
4 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

13. People in projects
take time to share
what they are
learning with others
in the network and in
other networks so
that everyone
benefits from every
project, whether it
was a “failure” or a
success.
5 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

14. Learning,
breakthroughs and new
insights ripple through
networks and networks
of networks so action
becomes highly
effective in shifting
systems.
6 How are System Shifting Networks Created?

15. Source of network maps: Jeff Mohr, kumu.io Stages from Valdis Krebs orgnet.com
Scattered
clusters
Hub-and-Spoke Self-organizing System Shifting Network
Time
Where most network-building
begins
Self-sustaining network
How to move from self-organizing to
system shifting?

16. Scaffolding
Basic structures that work together to support and
accelerate the emergence of a system shifting
network
● Communications ecosystem
● Support for self-organizing
○ Innovation Funds
○ Communities of Practice
○ Catalytic Network Weaver roles
● Tracking, reflecting and learning systems
● Network governance
We are still in the
process of
co-designing and
piloting these.

17. 1 Communications
Ecosystem
Places, spaces, processes
and protocols for
individuals and projects in
a network to communicate,
interact, self-organize,
learn and share.

18. Sample Communication Ecosystem Facebook Group
& Slack
(discussion,
events)
Group Email
(share info,
discussion)
Interactive
eNewsletter
Twitter
(bring in
new ideas)
(curate
innovations on
topic)
Doodle or
Meeting Wizard
to set up
meetings
Video conferencing
for group work and
learning, CoP
Google docs &
Slack for
collaboration
Track network
through
dashboards
Share Stories
Share & Discuss
Information
Build Relationships
& Collaborate
Capture & Share
Ideas for Innovation
Track Network
Development
Web Page
discussion groups/
database
ScoopItLoomio
for decision
making
18
https://networkweaver
.com/product/commu
nication-ecosystem/

19. Grounded in and emerging
from network values and
behaviors: interact as
peers, dismantling racism,
patriarchy and hierarchy
Need to work explicitly on
shifting values so that the
communications system
doesn’t reinforce old
patterns of interaction NETWORK CULTURE

20. Network Communications Ecosystem
NETWORK CULTURE
Network Pulse:
See the Network
As A Whole
Network Reach:
Share & Engage
Outside Network
Network Engagement:
Draw in, connect and
build relationships
between people
Network Action:
Self-Organize & Get
stuff done
Learn new skills
Network Learning:
Track, Reflect and
Improve
Flows from culture to
comms processes
catalyzed by the NWs

21. Find others with
similar interest
Convene for
discussions
Form a
collaborative
project & act
Tools to Support
● Zoom
● Google docs folder:
notes and tasks
● Slack: updates
Need a platform for seamless movement

22. Self-Organizing & Getting Stuff Done
Process Steps Tool or Functionality
Online Meeting Platform Zoom, Mural, Slack
Easy Way Schedule Doodle or QiQo ?
Send Meeting Invite Google Calendar - Mural & Zoom have Chrome plugins
Agenda and supporting files that everyone can
access
Google Doc (Mural? - Using a Blank Mural)
Note-taking during meeting Google Doc or QiQo?
Is there a recording and transcript tool that is automated via Zoom
Mural - Using a Blank Mural to take notes
Decision-making tools - Polling QiQo? Google Forms? Slido?
Icebreaker/Check-In Mural - does it integrate w/Zoom
Brainstorming Mural - does it integrate w/ Zoom
Mapping Mural - does it integrate w/Zoom
Reflection Mural - does it integrate w/Zoom
Follow up tasks, project management Do we need a separate project management tool - Monday
Slack? QiQo
Templates in Google docs and sheets
Slack for between meeting communication
Sharing learning via newsletter Process/template to do it?
Group newsletter tool or function

23. Breakout Rooms #1
Quick introductions
(take notes, facilitator)
Any clarifying questions about presentation so far?
What have you done to create a communication
ecosystem?
How might you begin to work on this?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1weybhPnAFdly1263qdt2_tR_dHZzu8OyiUP1QKs5QZU/edit?usp=sharing

24. Report back:
Questions?
Any examples?

25. Getting started?
Have your network take the values checklist and develop
strategy for shifting values
Have a group do the communication ecosystem activity
and experiment with zoom, google docs and Slack

26. 3 to Jumpstart Self-organizing
1. Innovation or Activation Fund
2. Community of
Practice
3. Facilitation Pool

27. 1. Innovation or Activation Funds
Small grants to collaborative projects to get people to shift
to collaboration.
https://networkweaver.com/how-to-set-up-an-innovation-funds/
https://networkweaver.com/encouraging-innovation-collaboration-at-the-gras
sroots-gophil-seed-grants-in-nepal/

28. 2. Communities of Practice for
Innovation Fund Recipients
https://networkweaver.com/communities-of-practice-for-network-weavers/
https://networkweaver.com/best-practices-for-communities-of-practice-learni
ng-networks/
1. Share what each project is learning (spreads innovation)
2. Expand and strengthen the network through relationship
building during session
3. Learn how to support each other with challenges (peer assist)

29. 3. Catalyst Roles
Facilitation Pool
Experienced facilitators, trained in network
facilitation, available to collaborative
projects to help them learn new skills and
practices (using technology, reflection, etc)
The facilitator also models new ways of
working together.
Can lead CoPs, coach individual projects,
coordinate projects.

30. Catalyst Roles
Learning Weaver
● Captures learning from sessions and
shares with the larger network
● Models and trains in learning and
reflection processes

31. To get started….
1. $10-15,000 for Innovation Fund
2. $3-5000 for facilitation pool
3. $5-10,000 for Community of Practice facilitation

32. What are your thoughts and questions about
Innovation Funds, Communities of Practice, and
Facilitation Pools ?
Let us know in the chat…..

33. Reflection/Learning is critical to transformation
1. Culture we grew up in blinds us - taking time to reflect helps us see
behaviors we need to shift, once we see we can help each other change
2. When we experiment, taking time to learn helps us see what begins to
shift the system; it’s often not just the action but how we do it and with
whom - and learning helps us notice what really makes change
3. We often make breakthroughs, have successes that we can’t even see -
often sharing with others outside the project that helps us see we did
something new and remarkable.

34. Tracking and Learning
https://networkweaver.com/the-importance-of-learning-in-networks/
https://networkweaver.com/product/questions-deep-reflection/
Reflection forms Surveys
3 sentence sharing
Reflection questions

36. What we haven’t figured out: How to
share what learned, innovations, insights
with full network and network of
networks?

37. Network governance
https://networkweaver.com/network-governance/
https://networkweaver.com/consent-based-governance-is-a-great-choice-for-c
ollaborative-networks-heres-why/
https://networkweaver.com/collaborative-governance-accelerator/

38. Decision-
making by
Consent,
using the
Advice
Process.
Circle makes
final decision
but must
seriously
consider
advice
Supporting
Catalyzing
Noticing
Engaging
Circle
drafts or
co-designs
Proposal
Sends
proposal
to all
impacted
People
give
advice /
feedback
Circle
incorpor-
ates
advice
Sets
timeline
for
experime
ntation &
review
Gets advice
on how
worked, new
ideas,
improvements,
etc
All are
invited to
be part of
circle who
care
Circle
makes a
decision
(consent)
May
engage
more
people in
the
co-design

39. Based on self-
organization
and network
values
Most applications
have been in
organizations, with
exception of Circle
Forward and
Sociocracy 3.0
Sociocracy 3.0 - The Practical Guide
Starter Kit
https://www.circleforward.us/

40. Breakout Rooms #2
Any clarifying questions about presentation so far?
What have you done to create resources for projects, set
up Communities of Practice and/or facilitation support,
and make time for learning?
How might you begin to work on this?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1weybhPnAFdly1263qdt2_tR_dHZzu8OyiUP1QKs5QZU/edit?usp=sharing

41. Report back
● Questions?
● What have you done already?
● Ideas for starting to work on catalysts, innovation funds, CoPs, learning or
governance

42. Reflection
• What is one insight you got from this day that will
change the way you work?
• What is one thing you are going to try to do?
• What are you interested in hearing more
about?

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LLC Thank You!