Harald Schirmer - es kommt nicht nur darauf an, was wir tun, sondern WIE wir es tun!

The power of digital collaboration networks

Digital Collaboration Network Basics

The power of digital collaboration networks > no pictures, just a bit of my essence about scalable digital collaboration network impact

As in the offline world, networks are one of the most valuable success factors!

With this post I want to how I build a valuable personal network and what you can expect by what I have learned myself. I started building my networks in various platforms. It has been (and is) a wonderful journey full of appreciation, valuable insights, tremendous learning and unbelievable results. (like being nominated TOP HR Influencer by Haufe lately again)

Important for me – it is NOT about self-marketing in the first place, but what I would call „Digital Work Style“ – Working more transparent, granting others insights to my workflows, sharing questions and results early on, asking for feedback or examples from my followers and having valuable discussions online, is „the way I work“

Digital Reputation should be a nice SIDE EFFECT!
Powerful networks are an answer to complexity!

For sure I am far away from being what press calls an „influencer“ in terms of those YouTube stars, having more followers than famous news channels, but in my specific areas, I could manage to receive quite some attention. With this post I share how:

I spend about 10-30 Minutes every day for my external networking activities.

You don’t need to become an influencer as well, to get the benefits – but you can benefit a lot from digital networking competence.

Here is a „simple“ process to build digital collaboration networks:

In short: Have an attractive profile, share valuable information and personal experience, follow and connect to relevant experts, contribute and show appreciation – and make that a habit

1. Become visible

Build your reputation: update your profile and keep it up to date regularly, give feedback via like or comment to your contacts. Contributions start with your Profile (I recommend minimum LinkedIn and Twitter). This is, where the new knowledge is exchanged and great things happen – can you really afford, missing out?

2. Build networks

Grow the number of people you are virtually connected to connect to your peers and everyone in the hierarchy above you connect to other valuable people (e.g. filter by Tags, function, topics..)
Once you become visible as valuable network contact, valuable others will invite you or accept your invitation for exchange in networks – network ideal size varies on your goal.
Think long term – an invite of an interesting person in a not so interesting function – might become valuable after the person made a career or changed job 😉

4. Start Sharing

Valuable experts connect with people sharing valuable things

  • Share valuable articles, quotes, videos you find from others (and be clear why you recommend them)
  • Start sharing your personal experience (less critical) share what you have learned (make sure to stay compliant)
  • Start with what you did… once more mature, talk about what you are up to
  • Why should someone follow you, or be in a network with you?
  • Don’t aim too high with what you share – no need to be perfect, no need for dogmatic answers.
  • Watch what is relevant for the people you are interested in and get in contact
  • Ask questions about their articles, relate to existing articles with your content
  • @-mention the author or influencers to create valuable dialogs

3. Solutions will find you

Responsiveness and filtered Information flow

  • With a good network (being appreciated by you) you can ask any question and you will get good answers from various perspectives
  • Working more transparently and offering participation will make „you“ and your topics more attractive
  • Network contacts will inform you and support you with their competence
  • An engaged network will not only provide high quality answers fast, but also solves problems, before you know about it
  • Your network will be your learning partner – making you strong for change
  • It is your energy source for your daily challenges and source of constant opportunities
  • It will provide calmness and security:

Your Benefits:
You are not alone,
you know what’s coming,
information flood is filtered for you
you have great people who will support you

Additional TIPs around typical doubts: 

Most people I talk to, have the same arguments or expectations – which, once they start their journey, change into the exact opposite

  1. Social Media sucks – bad people, shitstorms, blablabla – Seems you are following the wrong people!! YOU decide, what you get „served“ by whom you follow and how you interact. Yes there are trolls – no need to feed them 😉
  2. My content or feedback is not important  – WRONG … If one spent an hour writing a post – he/she values every kind of feedback – everyone counts! If you found it relevant for you – it will be relevant for some or many others! 
  3. My feedback only creates effort for others  – yes, reading feedback or articles takes time, so does saying „Thank You“
    We want to get relevant information or appreciation – this needs to be shared first – before one can find or „pull“ it. 
  4. I am not competent enough  – there are no dumb questions! In my experience every question asked, every little improvement idea adds value to some people 
  5. I am not in the right position  (hierarchy)   – WRONG … Just imagine how many people in the world might ask the same question right now.. or tomorrow… or next year
  6. Fear of bad reputation  – Are you a „bad“ person? I am sure not – so being authentic and appreciative to others, will not hurt your reputation 
  7. It will stay forever  – yes, technically – but as every day new content and information comes in – it is an „art“ to stay on top… and seldom to become really famous in the Internet 

Food for thought:

There is not too much information,
just missing competence using networks and filters.

Once you have built a relevant network, you can focus on the „top messages“ filtered by them. It is great to know, that you will get everything important, with little effort.

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3 Antworten

  1. Avatar von Fabian Friz

    I realized the power of (social) networks in 2020 when I started the Digital GUIDE Program at Continental, which you initiated. That was a true game changer in my way of working. Thanks for your passion2share which is the fundament for the learning of others. I do my best to inspire others as well and make work fun.

    1. Avatar von haraldschirmer

      thank you so much Fabian – I can tell, you DO!
      It is so hard to believe, we are not using it already so much more – once you have experienced the power of networks, diversity and the new safety dealing with complexity… you just don’t want to miss it anymore

  2. Avatar von Graciela
    Graciela

    I loved this article! Thanks for always show us the flag to go for! Our high value added low as servant leaders on an organizations: inspire others, develop others, make the others shine and most important, have fun!

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