DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: ” Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Build the network to achieve mission impact” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in February 2024
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published published on February 20, 2024 featured Dr. Jane Wei-Skillern of the Haas Business School at the University of California Berkley. Her work provides the Partnership for Water Sustainability with a framework for the networked approach to collaboration that explains what we have been doing intuitively for more than two decades in the local government sector.
Build the network to achieve mission impact
Dr. Jane Wei-Skillern is co-author of The Networked Nonprofit, groundbreaking research published in 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at the Haas Business School at the University of California Berkeley. She is based at the Center for Social Sector Leadership at the Haas School.
Dr, Jane’s work provides the Partnership for Water Sustainability with a framework that explains what we have been doing intuitively for more than two decades in the local government sector.
“In the early 2000s, when I was on the faculty at the Harvard Business School, I began my research into the concept of a networked approach that is more focused on network-building and trust-based relationships, and less about building an organization to get to your mission impact,” explains Dr. Jane.
Dr. Jane’s four counter-intuitive guiding principles for growing effective networks
“The network emerges around a common goal, rather than a particular program or organizational model. The community mobilizes the resources from throughout the network and does this based on existing relationships in the community.”
Focus on mission before organization. “Effective network leaders build strategies that advance the mission even when it does not result in direct benefits to their organization.”
Build partnerships based on trust, not control. “Leaders depend upon shared values and trust rather than top-down controls and accountability systems.”
Promote others rather than yourself. “Network leaders exhibit a strong norm of humility above all else, sharing credit and foregoing opportunities for individual advancement and institutional growth and brand building.”
Build constellations rather than lone stars. “Leaders who catalyze successful networks acknowledge their weaknesses as readily as their strengths. The goal is to build the larger system that is necessary for delivering on the mission, not to become the market leader.”
TO LEARN MORE:
To read the complete story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Build the network to achieve mission impact.
