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From Networking to Weaving
3 Shifts from ego- to eco-systems
๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ.
But they come from different paradigms, as Christina Capra points out in this great article.
๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด is rooted in a transactional mindset:
It asks:
What can I gain?
How do I give to get?
Who can you help me?
It often operates within an individualistic frame.
๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด is a systemic practice:
It asks:
How do we nurture relationships to enable equity & regeneration?
It centers:
Trust
Collaboration
Shared purpose
To be clear:
We all have needs.
So, networking still has its place.
But to face complex problems, we need to move from ego-systems to ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ-๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐.
To bring the point home, here is a side-by-side comparison of the practices:
Networking (Ego focus) | Network Weaving (Eco focus) |
Meeting people for transactional benefit. | Build authentic, caring relationships. |
Focus is on personal advancement. | Focus on a collective mission and impact. |
Contacts are siloed. | Create multidirectional, group-linked bonds. |
Accumulating names and business cards. | Cultivate supportive collaboration ecosystems. |
Short-term gain. | Foster long-term, mutual growth. |
Getting seen by people. | Creating space for everyone to contribute. |
Information sharing. | Facilitate co-creation and communal evolution. |
Career-oriented. | Systemic change-oriented. |
After this quick overview, letโs have a look at how to move from networking to weaving.
Here are 3 strategic shifts
1๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ โ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐น๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐
Instead of asking:
๐๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต?
try
๐๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ ๐ธ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ co-create ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ?
This shift invites
Listening
Slowness
Reciprocity
Relationships arenโt a means to an end.
2๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ โ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
Networking asks:
What can I give to get?
Weaving asks:
How we can combine our strengths?
This shift unlocks:
Synergy
Emergence
Shared power
All these are vital for co-creation.
3๏ธโฃ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ณ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ โ ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ
Networking often focuses on:
Reach
Status
Visibility
Network weaving aims at:
Tending trust
Sensing energy
Bridging difference
Itโs about creating ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด for change.
And, this matters because the biggest breakthroughs wonโt come from heroic individuals.
They will emerge from ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
By the way:
In case you want to build your network weaving skills you can play the Network Weaver Game, a 15 min. self-reflection process to identify your learning goals.
After the self-reflection, you get access curated resources, tools and programs to flex your co-creation muscles with the Network Weaving Self-Study Guide.
Itโs all free to use.
Thatโs it!
In community,
Adrian
PS: Thanks for reading! โค๏ธ If you have questions or suggestions, I am just one email away!
Tactics, Tips & Tools for Systemic Change
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