Paul Lipke is Senior Advisor, Energy & Buildings, Health Care Without Harm
Given the wicked problems the world faces, and the need to build networks to address them, this book is invaluable. I’ve worked in, and with social change non-profits, networks and associations for over 30 years, and but still learned a ton.
Connecting to Change the World
is chock-full of practical stories, insights, processes and guiding principles for servant leaders and members to build member-driven, continuously improving networks. It addresses why there are inherent difficulties in networks made of organizations. It provides a high-power lens with which to examine and precisely improve network functions (and reduce dysfunction).
Connecting
raised and largely answered provocative questions:
- Are we collecting the right kind of information often enough
- How might our value proposition need adjustment (again)?
- Key network nodes can come to feel like they are “faced with insurmountable opportunities,” to quote Walt Kelly’s Pogo . How can networks manage this overload so as to avoid its many, serious negative consequences? What about when its difficult to simply engage less, the interactions keep escalating, and additional resources are not available?
- Most people, organizations and funders want to support doers, not servant leaders whose work is indirect. How can networks find sustained resources to support their “unsexy” intermediary role?
Networks commonly experience failures of leadership, are over-whelmed by factors outside participants’ influence, and are even intentionally destroyed by those who find them a threat to their interests and/or personality. The authors have such rich depth of experience and research, can a subsequent edition or an article offer case study analyses, and lessons learned from such challenges?
This book can even help the millions of interconnected individuals and organizations working for social change which aren’t part of formal networks. May they find and use it!