Page 9 - A dialogue for the future

FACTS AND FIGURES 9
RESHAPING COMPANIES AROUND COMMUNITIES
BUILDING VALUE NETWORKS, FROM A CLOSE TO AN OPEN ORGANISATIONAL MODEL
HUB AND SPOKE MODEL
The company nurtures its internal community.
DANDELION MODEL
The company reaches out to external communities by sharing its competences and knowledge.
HOLISTIC MODEL
The company effectively communicates its purpose, values and culture.
ALIGNING PURPOSE AND VALUES
by encouraging dialogue and knowledge-sharing.
FOSTERING CONNECTIVITY
by promoting meaningful communication.
BUILDING VALUE NETWORKS
by cultivating strong interpersonal relationships.
themselves alongside the needs of communities and how building stronger and smarter ties between groups is a key element of nurturing a culture of innovation and resilience.
Regardless of its size or the sector in which it works, every organisation has an internal community and is part of a wider community. Internal communities are important because they form the culture and processes of the company: they know how the company works, the nature of its hierarchies and the internal behaviours of teams and individuals. Supporting and nourishing a healthy internal community results in an optimal culture, and higher productivity, with more teams aligned on the company’s values, creating a feedback loop that drives, shares and maintains the company’s vision and culture. It is not only important to provide a safe working environment, but also to prompt a dialogue and listen to the workforce, to engage it in continuous training and education programmes and to promote ethical labour practices which address all aspects of the employees’ lives. External communities are typically represented by the customers, usually having limited insight into how the organisation works, but who provide a great source of feedback, suggestions and support. External communities also interact with the company, sharing common values, purposes and culture.
According to researchers8, internal and external communities often overlap, creating a third group: the hybrid community. Traditionally, this
Reshaping Companies Around Communities
Source: from “What Makes an Organisation “Networked,” HBR by Greg Satell, 2015 and “Social Business for Complex Organisations,” by David Armano at Edelman, 2012.