You Can Be an Influencer – Part VII: Besides IQ, Do You Have NQ?
Meet Rita. Her blood is pumping, heart racing as she tries to control her breathing in hope that no one will notice her agitation. She is frustrated and angry. Once again she feels sabotaged with her work. She wants to do her best; however, her co-workers seem bent on putting obstacles in her way. Two of her coworkers are more concerned about keeping power over their own departments so tear down each other’s ideas. She also faces two other coworkers who do not want to be accountable. One rationalizes away problems and another blames others.
Does Rita have IQ and NQ? Rita is smart. She is very capable in her job. However, NQ stands for Network Quotient. Is she able to make the most of her network of coworkers? There are two arenas when it is most critical to engage social influence: 1. when others are the problem and 2. when you need to accomplish something that is bigger than just yourself.
Rita represents a situation that I come across often with clients. Rita first has to take personal responsibility for what is within her control, be clear on her role and then move forward in right action. Next, she needs to engage others. Which coworkers are willing to work with her to make success happen? What is her strategy to engage them? I often help clients to do both of these steps. Previous articles have looked at engaging personal responsibility. This article will delve into social capital.
When Others Are a Part of the Problem
Dr. Garth Japhet is an expert in how to engage a group in change. As CEO of Soul City, a South African media brain trust, he has been able to bring about change in the fight against AIDS, infant mortality, malnutrition and violence against women. The book, Influencer, says, “Japhet realized that if bad behavior is reinforced by a web of players, all the players have to be engaged in influencing change.” He has successfully led a media effort that has influenced neighbors confronting neighbors who engage in domestic violence.
This same concept applies to the business and organizational world. The book, Influencer, gives the example of a VP who needed to change a cultural dynamic in his company that was leading to projects not being done on time and going over budget. When project managers realized that they were behind, they would not come forward about their problem. The VP first tried to confront the project managers to be honest with their projects, but it did not work. Only after he got upper management involved in learning how to have crucial conversations that led to honest communications, did change happen. The whole organization had to be involved in the change, starting at the top. Within a year, they launched two products on time and within budget along with morale at an all time high.
When Many Are Needed to Change a Problem
Social capital is important whenever you confront a large problem. We often see this need in social transformation. For example, Not-for-Profit Organizations (NPO) are often facing problems bigger than one person can handle. In my own community over 400 NPO’s exist. They are addressing a range of issues, such as poverty, addictions, financial education, health issues, the developmentally disabled, economic development, and the list can go on. The needs in our communities are great, and they can range in issues, but they all have a problem that takes a group of people to address it.
M. Cobbler has developed a model of how community involvement is used in social transformation. It consists of four levels of involvement:
- At one level, people give money. There is a Giver and a Receiver, but little relationship is involved. In this case, a person is involved as an individual and not as a group. The money is helpful and appreciated but leads to an immediate problem being addressed rather than a larger system change.
- Another level of involvement in changing a problem is giving time. A limited relationship between people is developed, such as a Provider(s) and a Client. For example, people come together to complete a project. The immediate need is addressed for a time, but the system does not change.
- The next level is Advocacy where we help give voice to another. The relationship is one of an Advocate and a Victim. Causes to issues will be addressed, which takes issues to a deeper level. But the relationship of people working together is optional.
- The final level is building a network of power through relationships together. At this level, there is not a power differential in relationships. Here leadership is shared. Each of our stories is important, and we all have the opportunity to give and to receive. It is a focus on changing systems that ultimately lead to problems being addressed.
Social capital is the power of building relationships together. Jamie D. Levy, an expert in the philanthropic field, says that it is “connecting people based on shared vision and values.” Creating change does involve money, time and advocacy, but the use of social capital through a network of relationships who share a core vision and values takes social transformation to a new level of growth.
James Surrowiecki in his book, The Wisdom of Crowds, says, “Under the right circumstances, groups are remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than the smartest people in them.” So whether you are a Not-for-Profit, a business, athletic team, social club or a family unit, immense power can be found in building a network of relationships.
How to Build Social Capital
Michael Williams from the University of Texas defines social capital as “the potential energy available from utilizing others’ abilities (and vice versa).” He points out that social capital is predominately rooted in informal social networks and requires three simultaneously occurring factors of: willingness to communicate, knowledge of other’s abilities and trust. Do you feel that you are lacking social capital? Which of the above three are you missing?
Social capital can be built as an individual. As you can guess, your social capital will be based on the number of your contacts and the strength of them, such as what level of trust you have with those contacts, how often you communicate and knowing their strengths. But another defining factor is the strength and number of contacts the people in your social network have. The expanse of the network of your contacts adds a multiplication of the capital.
So when building a network as an individual, Michael Williams has noted that you need to know the goal of your project and what your own strengths and weaknesses are in getting it accomplished. Next, you need to recognize the strengths of others which could help your goal. Finally, build the relationship.
With building social capital in groups, Michael Williams has stated that you need Reciprocity, Interdependency, Sharing and Keeping at consistent and intentional building and maintaining of contacts. To invigorate a social network in your team, here are some steps to think about:
- Eliminate rules that restrict the flow of communication that allow for the integration of ideas. Rigid hierarchical structures can especially be a problem with this. Instead set up cross-functional and cross -hierarchical teams that have a voice with set responsibilities and shared goals. Also make sure that the incentives attached to the goals are rewarded for team effort, not individual effort.
- Are there people on the team who tend to be isolated from the others? Make a special effort to get to know their story and their strengths. Connect them into the team. If they refuse to be connected or are divisive, explore if they need to be replaced.
Our world is adapting and changing quickly. More than ever, we do not have all the strengths to stand alone. We need the strengths of a team together.
How do you foster social capital? I would love to hear your successes and also challenges in these areas. Please call me at (812) 881-6862, email or connect on the Imajine Unlimited Facebook page.