Sunday, March 14, 2010

The 4 Developmental Stages of Networks

June, Valdis and I have seen countless networks grow over the past 30 years. It's interesting to see networks grow from weaker to stronger. They go through four stages in the process. Here is a model based on the phases of human development. When we bring people together in their networks, we see all four stages within various connections in the network.

Best of all, unlike human development where phases cannot be skipped, effective network development can involve immediate acceleration to an emerging and scaling network of adult connections.

Infancy
People in the network feel dependent on formal leaders to make things happen in the network. Their whole life is structured around demands that parent leaders take care of all their needs. Their whole thrivancy is based on the trade of compliance for protection.

Childhood
People in the network are interested in making things happen, but only things that require permissions and funding from the parental formal leaders. They are focused in this phase of getting more support from parent-leaders for the things they want to do. They live in continuous demand from a position of entitlement.

Adolescence
People in the network give up dependency on their parent-leaders, but still believe the "pie of resources" is still finite and so compete with peers to satisfy their needs. In this phase, people in the network believe that others' loss is the necessary cost of their gain.

Adulthood
People in the network take responsibility for their destinies and know that working together expands the pie in ways that allows everyone to thrive. They believe that people in the network can achieve more together than they ever could apart or in opposition.

Network weavers help people move into the adult phase more quickly and successfully, accelerating the possibilities of more strong networks.

10 comments:

Jara said...

Quite helpful. I am always appreciative of frameworks that remind us that ultimately people are the engines that drive and do this work.

We use a model for organizational change that is similar, and in spite of what I just wrote, we purposely opted not to use an organic reference http://bit.ly/9SSzxc. We wanted organizations to find themselves without judgment.

Would welcome your feedback.

Unknown said...

iscale has developed a Network Life Cycle framework that has the following phases: Catalyzing; Launching; Expanding and Enhancing; and Transforming or Transitioning. This framework was developed to take innovations to scale. I wonder how a stage model and a phase model intersect. Are they the same or is there a different focus and emphasis?

file sharing said...

Fantastic information about different stages of networks. Really knowledgeable blog! I appreciate it.

Alex Dropshipping said...

This is a great way on how to show the developmental stage of networking. It is true that networking is like a person or a child growing. Illustrating the growth of networking could be done in many ways but in this style it would be widely understood by a lot of people especially those who are into networking.

This is a great idea! Thanks!

Alex

Claudia - Inversiones Rentables said...

Hi, thanks for the article about the stages of networks, i have never thought of it

mari http://www.everap.com/maquinadesoldar/ said...

Its a good idea..

precios colchones said...

Nice information about different stages of networks, good post. Thanks!

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Thank you for sharing this interesting content! Great info in this post and generally in the blog. Good luck and regards!

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juan | razas de perros said...

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