Page 154 - HBR's 10 Must Reads for New Managers

HOW LEADERS CREATE AND USE NETWORKS

The Three Forms of Networking IBARRA AND HUNTER
Managers who think they are adept at networking are often operating only at an operational or personal level.
Effective leaders learn to employ networks for strategic purposes.

Operational Personal Strategic
Purpose Getting work done efficiently; Enhancing personal and professional Figuring out future priorities and
maintaining the capacities and development; providing referrals to challenges; getting stakeholder sup-
functions required of the group. useful information and contacts. port for them.

Location and temporal Contacts are mostly internal and Contacts are mostly external and Contacts are internal and external
orientation oriented toward current demands. oriented toward current interests and oriented toward the future.
and future potential interests.

Players and recruitment Key contacts are relatively non- Key contacts are mostly discretion- Key contacts follow from the strate-
discretionary; they are prescribed ary; it is not always clear who is gic context and the organizational
mostly by the task and organiza- relevant. environment, but specific member-
tional structure, so it is very clear ship is discretionary; it is not always
who is relevant. clear who is relevant.

Network attributes and Depth: building strong working Breadth: reaching out to contacts Leverage: creating inside-outside
key behaviors relationships. who can make referrals. links.