This presentation from Richard Couldrey from Transition Together stressed the importance of spending time together in building connections. “Time together, is time well spent”. Richard used his Mum’s wool to illustrate the power of the connections we already have and highlight the strength of our green connections.
Richard’s seven important aspects about networking are
- Support – Networks can help to support each other through sharing stories and challenges.
- Celebrate We can also celebrate the action going on. On our own, we are not as strong as we are together.
- Diversity – We can see the diversity of activity of the different groups who are represented in the picture above.
- Connections – Networks connect us to the bigger picture. Each strand of wool represents a connection. Richard’s Mum’s wool made us all aware of the bigger picture.
- Structure – It showed us the structure of the connections that were made in the room during the exercise. Richard thought it could almost be strong enough to support a small person.
- Communication – We will also be communicating through this structure to others who are not in the picture. This expands the network further.
- Connecting beyond our own groups Participating in this exercise allows us to record it and spread the little ideas that emerge from this so that they can be transferred further on. What works in one place may also work in another. The recording we are making of this is another way of connecting beyond the groups we are in here to other groups.
These seven ingredients of networking can allow us to explore our challenges together, including those where we disagree and it can feel uncomfortable. We need to be willing to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. This allows us to expand and let go of ideas as well as hold on to them. This can allow more synergy and opportunity.
The video of his talk can be found here on YouTube.
