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Harnessing Your Staff'S Informal Network

The document discusses how companies can harness the informal networks of employees through communities of practice. It notes that while early communities were unofficial, many are now formally integrated into management structures. Successful communities are actively managed with clear goals and accountability. They are focused on important organizational issues and provide real governance and deliverables. Communities differ from teams in their long term focus on peer collaboration and knowledge management across expanded networks. The conclusion emphasizes that communities are an efficient way for experts to share knowledge when given proper focus and management attention.

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106 views9 pages

Harnessing Your Staff'S Informal Network

The document discusses how companies can harness the informal networks of employees through communities of practice. It notes that while early communities were unofficial, many are now formally integrated into management structures. Successful communities are actively managed with clear goals and accountability. They are focused on important organizational issues and provide real governance and deliverables. Communities differ from teams in their long term focus on peer collaboration and knowledge management across expanded networks. The conclusion emphasizes that communities are an efficient way for experts to share knowledge when given proper focus and management attention.

Uploaded by

HR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HARNESSING YOUR

STAFF’S INFORMAL
NETWORK

Maninder Singh – SMN6667


Rahul Arora – SMN6659
Rajinder Gill – SMN6698
Rajesh Kumar –SMN6668

Guide: Prof. Sushil

15 February 2018
 If your employees are getting together to solve a problem and
develop new ideas, best thing is to stay out of there way, Right?

 Communities of Practice - Once entirely unofficial, are today part


formal Management structure

 Independent and off the grid communities have proliferated in


recent years

 Global communities are replacing the company’s functional


structure
Issues with Early communities

 Too much attention from Management could:

 Went the thinking of groups

 crush the group’s collaborative nature.

 Many communities fail due to:

 Sophisticated design tools

 vast amount of data as they grew with more members across globe

 Justifying time for voluntary meetings become difficult


What worked for Long Run of
Successful Communities

 Actively Managed part of the organization.

 Explicit accountability, clear goals, clear executive oversight. Eg.


Stack overflow.

 Organizations ensure that communities contribute meaningfully and


operate efficiently.

 Get experts dedicated to them.


Fluor Example

 FLUOR has nuclear clean-up project.

 Had to install soil barrier to drainage field once used to dispose


radioactive barrier.

 Expert from community suggested Technology used by different


industry that served the purpose and was very cost effective.
HOW to Setup Communities Strategically

 Focus on issue important to organization eg Pfizer Drug safety


community

 Establish community goal and deliverables eg ConocoPhilips

 Provide real governance

 Set high management expectation


How Communities are different from Teams

 Communities have like successful community goals, deliverables,


assigned leadership, accountability of results and metrics

 They differ in few aspects:

 Long View

 Peer collaboration and collective responsibility

 Intentional network expansion

 Knowledge management
Maximize community impact

 Set aside real time for community participation

 Hold face to face events

 User simple IT tools


Conclusion

 Informal employee networks, or communities of practice, are an


inexpensive and efficient way for experts to share knowledge and
ideas.

 Effective communities tackle real problems for senior management.

 Communities are like teams but focus on the long term.

 Technology makes global collaboration possible, but successful


communities also depend on the human systems—focus, goals, and
management attention—that integrate them into the organization.

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