Networks thrive on the initiative of members who see a need and invite others to take action with them. This is leadership in networks and in the best case scenario its widely distributed. And yet, supporting self-organizing is not easy. In this webinar we will share common obstacles to self-organizing and better yet, two things we have tried that seem to be working. Come hear about using Network Activation Funds and Facilitator Pools to help activate your network.

1. Self-Organizing in
Networks
Why and How?

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3. Meet Today’s Team
Deborah Meehan
Kyle Shimamoto
Ericka Stallings
Denisha Craig

4. ◎ Network: Over 9,000 people
who fund, run, and study
leadership development
◎ Collaborative Research:
Promoting cutting edge models
& innovation
◎ Application: Putting new models
into practice to scale leadership
impact on social justice issues
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Leadership Learning Community

5. Why Self-Organizing
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6. The best way to increase connectivity, action and
learning is through self-organizing.
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7. Stages of Network Development
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Source of network maps: Jeff Mohr, kumu.io
Scattered
clusters
Hub-and-Spoke Self-organizing Systems Shifting Network
Time
Where most network-building
begins
Self-sustaining network

8. “
Self-organizing: when anyone in the
network can see something that needs
to happen, find others to work with,
make something happen, learn from
the process and share with the rest of
the network

9. Self-Organizing enables Systems to Shift
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Collaborative
Projects
New Leaders
building new
skills
New People
❏ Lots of different
activities at the same
time
❏ Bring in new people
through specific activity
❏ Build new leadership by
encouraging many
people to initiate and
coordinate projects

10. Self-Organizing Actions
Formal Teams- Committees Self-Organized Actions
❏ Team already exists
❏ Long-term
❏ Function based (marketing, program)
❏ Head of team usually has power over
decisions and work
❏ Defines all their work
❏ Part of organization so have regular staff
meetings, people in close proximity
❏ Anyone has power to initiate
❏ Has a beginning and end
❏ Activity or action-based
(experiments/projects)
❏ People work as peers, no bosses,
dismantle hierarchy & racism
❏ People have to volunteer for tasks
❏ Learning is crucial
❏ Have to let rest of network know
what you are doing
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11. Occupy Sandy: Self Organizing
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Lots of leadership,
everyone can initiate
Lots of responding to needs
without lots of planning
Lots of communication
without meetings
Lots of learning and doing
more of what works

12. Deep Learning for
Greater Impact
Projects
compare what
they are doing
Next steps are
larger, more
effective,
transformative
Projects get
new insights, ID
patterns of
success , $
Multiple
projects
working on
same problem1
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3
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13. Tools for Identifying Shared Interests & Supporters
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❏ Clustering
❏ Social Network Analysis
❏ Open Space Technology
❏ Pitching

14. When you think about initiating self-organizing what would make
it most difficult for you?
http://bit.ly/self_org_survey
(IN THE CHAT, SHARE WAYS PEOPLE COULD DEAL WITH THESE OBSTACLES.)
Check out the Self-organizing Toolkit (you’ll get information about this in follow-up email)
Quick poll: Pick the three that resonate most with you

15. Challenges to taking initiative
Always feel like I have to
coordinate and don’t know
how to get others to do this.
Don’t have time for
one more thing

16. “Have you pitched an idea to people you don’t usually
work with to take action with you on something that
was not part of a centralized plan?
When you look at the obstacles identified, what
supported you to move forward and what ideas do
you have about how to support self-organizing?

17. Two Ways to Support
Self-Organizing
Facilitation Support and Seed Funds

18. Network Facilitators Pool
We have a pool of facilitators trained in network weaving and action coaching who are
available to support self-organizing by helping people with ideas engage others with similar
interests and move their idea into action. If you have an idea to pitch to others in the network
and would like some support our facilitators can help you move the idea to action!
If you are trying to do something in your work or community that contributes to equity and
well-being, our coaches can be available to support you. They can offer:
❏ coaching
❏ support with planning and/or facilitating a meeting or event
❏ help with strategy
❏ offer tools and materials to support your work

19. Facilitation Pool: Recruit & Onboard
➔ Recruiting
➔ Training
➔ Promoting

20. Facilitator Training | Onboarding | Support
❖ Processes and Procedures
❖ Facilitation Tips and Tools
❖ Facilitation Principles
❖ Facilitator Role
❖ Meeting/Coaching Protocols
❖ Templates to Support Their Work
❖ Real-time Virtual Support

21. Project Matching
Facilitators Requested Directly from Website
Facilitators Self Organize

22. Network Activation Fund Characteristics
● Funds that seed new
work
● Funds designed to
strengthen a network &
its work
● Funds administered using
network principles

23. Why Use a Network Activation Fund?
➔ To Advance the Work of the Network
➔ To Engage More People
➔ To Work in New Ways That Share Power
➔ To Stimulate Self-Organizing

24. Getting Started on Designing a Fund
❏ Goal of the Fund
❏ Examples of Possible
Uses
❏ Criteria for Selection
❏ Application Process
❏ Selection Process
❏ Timeline

25. Network Activation Fund
WEB Fund Results
● 16 Proposals
● 7 Projects Funded
● 70 Proposal Reviews
LLC Fund Results (250+)
● 130 Proposals
● 122 Reviewers
● 20 Design Team
● 3 Projects Funded 275 Individual
Crowdsourced
Reviews

26. Template that you can adapt:
http://bit.ly/2n63hUe
Just make a copy and adapt however you like.

27. Scaffolding
Communications Ecosystem
https://networkweaver.com/scaffolding-for-system-shifting-networks/

28. Support the LLC Webinar Series
The suggested donation for this webinar is $30
http://bit.ly/llc_donate
LLC Thank You!