Thanks ever so much for your kind reply and encouragements. We are planning to use Net-Map on a case study to first learn together how to use the tool and then apply it to help think about how to implement some concepts relating to massive collaboration in the entreprise (some have dubbed such concepts as Entreprise 2.0).

In this new paradigm of a working environment, people, their informal knowledge and skills and their relational network are key to the development and success of both the entreprise and the individuals who work for and with it.

Our seminar will take place on July 19 et 20th in Coux, Ardèche, France. I’ll make sure I send you a feed back on lessons learned and insights gained using Net Map!

Thanks again for pointing this road to us and for your willingness to share your wonderful experience.

Sincerely,

Patrice

Interesting that you mention being “in between”, because I prefer to function without getting into the “middle of the mix”. So, I’ve chosen facilitating jobs that don’t require me to be so centrally involved within a network. On the other hand, I am “in between” networks and infrastructures.

I grew up bilingual and multicultural. I always thought that gave me “a natural pre-conditioning for becoming a broker”. Besides birth order, there are other ways we are conditioned to be “in between”. Interesting line of though you opened up for me.

When I am working inside a network at the micro level I usually choose “singers” to work with. Strategically, I find it to be more time and resource efficient for what I do.

Because of the capacities in which I work I often bypass the interview portion. I get a running list of titles and than observe how they function. For me substitute “interview” with observation at this phase. The interview process for me begins with “the singers”.

I read your post about how it feels. I have to say that I admire you. I wouldn’t be comfortable with that. It feels like stripping off too many layers of clothing.

You asked, “How can we get to a discussion that acknowledges that there are many different roles in a network and that more links aren’t necessary always better?”

I’m not sure. The power of a visual aid is really strong, how many words do we have to spend to explain that more connections doesn’t necessarily mean better? Or can another visual aid do this for us? Something to think about…

My work involves dealing with lots of different infrastructures and bureaucracies at the micro and macro levels. I also connect various infrastructures.

Net-map is precisely what I visualize as soon as I walk into a meeting, confronted with a new task, planning strategically, etc..

I had a funny though the other day about why I’m able to fluidly understand so many different infrastructures. I was thinking about birth order and the idea that oldest children tend to be leaders. Well, I excel at my job because I’m the opposite in many ways.

I’m the youngest in the family (immediate and extended), so I’ve spent my whole life being not very concerned about my place in hierarchies since I was by birth born into the bottom. So rather than get involved in useless power plays I learned to observe people, figure out who does what, who has what, who to ask for something, when to ask for something, and so on..

Just the other day I was talking to a group of friends about my work and without knowing it I was explaining net-map.

BRAVO, it is a very intuitive tool! Absolutey brilliant!