Composing a collaborative network

When it comes to networking, there is a lot of theory on the subject. The same goes for collaboration. Both can be taught and learned. They are a logical combination, because one is an extension of the other. So, why are so few people in the Netherlands doing it?

A nice analogy is composing a piece of music. Everybody can be taught how to do it, what method to use and what tools to apply. The problem is, having a correctly produced piece of music, not necessarily makes it something people will want to listen to, or even make it sound like music. Apparently 95% of us can learn how to produce a piece of music, but only 5% of us are real composers, talented people who not only know how to write/compose a good piece of music, but also know what to put into it for people to enjoy. A very small number of those even have that divine spark needed to become a Mozart or Beethoven. Still a large number of people enjoy making or listening to music others have composed. We just need the right composers to lead the way and provide the pieces for us to play. Play being an important word here!

When ‘composing’ a collaborative network to create an entrepreneurial mindset and drive innovation, the logic is; we need a producer to facilitate and composers to combine the different instruments (disciplines) into a collaborating team of musicians (specialists). Our goal; to dare produce new music (entrepreneurship) and find new ways to produce music (innovation). We run into three issues. The first is what’s in it for the producers (c-level management)? The second is who are the composers (the leaders, coaches, mentors, creationists)? The third is what methods and tools (algorithms) can we use to deal with complexity and shaping a team out of people from different disciplines? I am excluding context to make a point, in reality all these questions will have context dependent characteristics.

Regarding the first issue, I suggest you read the rest of this blog, all the answers are in here. Lower risk, accelerated capability building, agility, etc. All you need to deal with the ‘red queen’ syndrome. It’s a no-brainer.

The second is an interesting challenge. Who are the people who not only form a group of different specialists around them to tackle a strategic challenge, but are also capable of sustaining the network to bring out the agility and innovation potential? No, these are not automatically current top management or middle management. Shareholder power has transformed most organizations into risk avoiding, optimization oriented creatures and has produced the management to suit its needs. The required skills and mentality for optimization is a small part of what we need in a composer. We select the few that not only have it in them to compose, but who have the spark to create and the passion to pull through and inspire people. Who are in control of their own destiny through personal leadership. We revive the hopefuls in current management positions and provide a path for high potential composers to come to the fore and take their place in the creative and innovative process. A process that brings us to the third question.

The third is about the means we have to put at a composer’s disposal to support them in composing with their network. What can we offer to pull people through an innovation process? Starting with generating a viable idea and going forward by putting that idea in practice; providing the right benefits to stakeholders involved, selecting the right tools to implement and plan the implementation. There are many tools to do the latter, but very few to generate the right idea. Of the tools for doing the first there are no integrated solutions to provide the network with a place to work, learn and communicate with each other. At the moment we are researching our own environment to build context dependent solutions.

Getting back to the initial question: “Why are so few people in the Netherlands doing this?”. I think we neither have the right means nor the passion to produce interesting new ideas anymore and for the few that do, our optimization paradigm prevents us from seeing the added value. A nice contradiction in our social welfare state; with all the leisure time available, there is no room to play anymore. So, I’m finishing my article and together with my colleagues going out there to preach and provide a path for people to follow and to have fun following.