Many networks organize governance and operations with structures that mirror those of organizations: governing boards, committees, and operations staff. Unfortunately, these structures have often been a bad fit with networks, leading to decreased involvement and engagement by network participants who aren't on the governing board and shrinking network size and impact. More and more networks are experimenting with and co-creating innovative network governance and structures that are self-organizing, encouraging and supporting the formation of collaborative circles for many or all of the operations and coordination functions of the network. June Holley will share examples and offer several checklists and strategy worksheets to help your network determine if these new structures might be appropriate for them.

1. Leadership Webinar Series
November 2, 2017

2. LLC anticipates the future and is a dynamic catalyst capable
of creating a link from today’s issues in leadership
development to tomorrow’s solutions.
(Donna Stark, The Annie E. Casey Foundation)
Network Research Application
Leadership Learning Community

3. Leadership For A New Era
The value of collective leadership networks is in their capacity
to solve problems quickly in an environment of uncertainty and complexity
(Watts, 2004)

4. On Technology
◉ Over 300 people registered for today’s webinar
◉ We expect over 150 participants live today
◉ Please remain muted
◉ Send your questions via chat (LLC will ask them of June) in
the last 30 minutes

5. June Holley
Network Structures:
Governance and Decision-Making
Today’s Presenter

6. In the chat: Where are you?
1. Are you part of a network with a governing board?
2. Are you supporting a number of networks and want to help them
in designing their governance systems?
3. Are you starting a new network or helping an informal network be
more intentional?
4. Other, please explain

7. Governance and
Decision-Making

8. What is governance?
▸ Who is making decisions about what?
▸ Where are decisions made?
▸ How are decisions made?
8

9. This is an urgent issue not just for networks
but for all parts of our lives because how
governance works in our lives is about
BOTH
▸ power and control
▸ who creates the world around us
9CAN’T CREATE
A HEALTHY
WORLD
WITHOUT
ADDRESSING
unequal
POWER AND
CONTROL

10. 10Most Current Governance
Boards & Senior Management & Congress have the power and control -
they make the rules
Corporations NonprofitsRepresentative
Democracy

11. But what are the
alternatives?
11

12. 12

13. 13Dozens of new
networks being
formed every
month
The only way to deal
with the complexity
of problems we face

14. 14And yet, most of us
have pulled the old
decision making
models from the non
profit and corporate
world.
Many networks have
governing boards,
much like non profit
boards, that plan and
make decisions.
Staff and governing board
Network Participants

15. 15

16. Let’s create Network Governance based on our values...
Proactively dismantling hierarchical and racist power dynamics through peerness
and distributed, decentralized power
▸ Open and transparent
▸ Inclusive and peer-based
▸ Relational
▸ Participatory
▸ Based on interests
▸ Experimental
▸ Innovative
▸ Individual and group initiative
▸ Adaptive and continually improving
▸ Transformational, based on radical learning
▸ Fun
16Governance
Based on our
VALUES
requires us to
interact in new
ways

17. Take a survey on network values!
http://bit.ly/nov2017webinar
17

18. 18Networks
based on these
values
unleashes
amazing
innovation &
energy for
transformation

19. Three exciting shifts:
1. Technology
2. Enough different network models
of governance that we can learn
from
3. New participatory processes
19

20. Two types of networks emerging
in importance for governance:
1. Multi-sector policy networks
2. Networks who are applying the
self-organizing project model to
network operations &
governance
20

21. ▸ Example: large scale conservation networks
▸ Many people and organizations with diverse
perspectives (tree-huggers, loggers, government,
non-profits, business, residents) come together and
develop POLICY or GOALS that all consent to (for
management of the land)
▸ Some cases highly participatory, many using
well-developed & innovative deliberation, dialogue
and decision-making processes
▸ A model of how more and more policy may be made
in the future
21
Multi-
sector
Policy
Networks

22. Self-organizing networks
▸ Many people initiate action in the network
through self-organizing collaborative
projects
▸ Many more people initiate, get engaged
and become leaders
▸ Action is experimental - helping us learn
more about problems, about the world we
are trying to co-create
22
Self-
organizing
networks

23. Self-organizing networks perfecting
co-creation & synergy processes
▸ Local food networks
▸ Health Access Network: very rural Allen County Kansas
Culture of Health Award from RWJF; dozens of projects
involving hundreds of resident in creating greater access
to health
▸ Resonance Network: innovation fund supporting
projects of young girls of color and emerging issues fund
that have made sure women not left out of disaster
assistance in Florida. They encourage peer support and
deep learning among funded projects.
23
Self-
organizing
Networks
EXAMPLES

24. New model of self-organizing
governance:
Circles and Advice
24

25. Self-organizing fits a lot of our values:
many people engaged in governing
through co-creating
25

26. Other self-organizing models
http://sociocracy30.org/
https://www.holacracy.org/
Highly
Recommended!
An easy read!

27. Circles
As a network need emerges,
a self-organizing group
forms to address that need
27

28. Zappos Circle Structure
From Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2016/07/beyond-the-holacracy-hype

29. The importance of starting with
small circles29
Usually only 2-3
meetings needed to
develop proposal
and make decision
Small commitment
means many more
people willing to
volunteer
This means higher
engagement levels
of network
participants
Important strategy
for expanding the
network
Powerful way to
develop more
leadership

30. NCT
Staff
Tenants
Bill of
Rights
Best
Practices
Coordinating
Convening Circle
NEWHAB STRUCTURE
Ad Hoc
Ad hoc
Other Ad hoc
Informal
A
Networki
ng
Mostly ad hoc groups
with a mixture of Network
Design/Operations and
Issue Content

31. 31 Catalyst
Circle
Circle
Scanning:
What is
needed?
Where is the
energy?
Circle
Governing
group
shifts to
being a
Catalyst
Group

32. Catalyst
Group
32 Supporting
Catalyzing
Catalyst Group helps set up
1. Need a good communications system: people need to
have access and know how to use zoom, google docs,
group email
2. Need staff and current governing board or consultants
serve as coaches for circles the first few times
3. Circles need to share what they are learning about
running circles through a community of practice
4. Need resources for the circles for coordination, research,
expertise, graphics, etc

33. Noticing
where
operational
needs and
energy are
33

34. Catalyze
lots of action
and self-
Organizing
circles
34

35. Make sure
the
commun-
ication
system lets
people know
about
network
operational
needs
35

36. COACHING
Make sure
growth and
learning are
supported
36

37. Encourage
everyone to
support new
leadership -
set up
Communities
of Practice so
circles can
learn from
each other
37

38. Characteristics
of Catalyst
Group
38 1. Big picture person
2. Good at noticing what is needed
3. Like to catalyze and get things started
4. Good at supporting others
5. Systems thinker
6. Thoughtful, not rigid, open
7. Like innovation, not afraid of trying new
things
8. Big capacity for learning and reflection
9. Majority people of color
Have your governing board take the values
survey - if the group scores high, you’re ready to
go!

39. Decision-
making by
Advice
Process
Circle makes
final
decision but
must
seriously
consider
advice
39 Supporting
Catalyzing
Noticing
EngagingCircle
Drafts
Proposal -
Co-design
Sends
proposal
to all
impacted
People
give
advice /
feedback
Circle
incorp-
orates
advice
Decision
review
time set
Data on
how
worked

40. It’s much easier (and faster) making
decisions as part of a co-design
process!
40

41. Example:
Communication
Many small projects with
different people in each based
on interests
41 Communication Circle
Web Page
more
engaging
Zoom
Training
Group
blog for
sharing

42. 42 Resourcing the
Network’s Work (Funding
Pools)
Emergent
Issues
Fund System
leverage
Fund
Innovation
Fund
Circles
Projects
Fund
Funders: this is a
place you could
really help!

43. 43 Reflection and Learning
Values
Shift
Communities
of Practice
Storytelling

44. 44 1. Have people in your network read Reinventing
Organizations Illustrated
2. Share this video and/or powerpoint
3. Form a Study Group
4. Let us know in chat if you want a follow-up session
where we could have people trying circles share how it is
going, give you a chance to ask more questions, and we
talk about implementation in more detail.
Where to start in your Network?

45. 45 Current board agrees to learn about and try this approach
Have some funds for a circles pool of funds
Have some people willing to coach the circle(s)
Have a decent communications system (group email, zoom training and access,
google docs to work on proposals collaboratively)
Readiness Checklist

46. 46 Share these ideas with your current governing board and network participants (you will
have access to this video)
Ask your network participants to suggest a burning (but small) operational issue. Have
the governing board catalyze this first one: it needs to have a champion and evidence
that other people would join them.
Have a coach from the governing board or staff help the group develop a proposal.
Make sure they send the proposal out to all network participants impacted giving a
deadline for advice.
Help them craft a final proposal and send that out.
Support them as they implement the new policy.
Make sure that the policy is reviewed.
Set up a circle to decide how to implement circles fully. Consider setting up a pool of
funds and soliciting 3-5 circle projects
Checklist for action

47. 47
A study group is forming that is working to
articulate new ideas about network governance, find
case studies and develop support materials. If you
are interested, put your email in chat and what in
particular you are interested in.
How to Join In

48. 48
Web: www.networkweaver.com
ScoopIt: http://www.scoop.it/t/networks-and-network-weaving
Network Weaving Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/339757846085496/
June Holley
Email: juneholley@gmail.com

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