Keystones are Network Weavers

by Byron Woodson II

How is it that some people, species or businesses are more powerful or critical in an organization, club or business than others? What is it about them that sets them apart from the rest?

Biologists have identified that in many ecosystems, there are species that are 'keystones'. Like the keystones in an arch, these keystone species play a critical part in maintaining the health of an ecosystem. Authors Iansiti and Levien have identified a few aspects of a keystone species, not in terms of biology, but how businesses work in their business ecosystems. Today, we take a look at what makes a keystone species so important, and how we can learn the behaviors of a keystone in our own networking.

Iansiti and Levien say that keystones exhibit: a pattern of behavior that improves the performance of the ecosystem, and in doing so improves individual performance.

What does that mean for us workers and networkers?

Well, a keystone does things that helps out the environment in which it resides. Biologists have found that bears who eat salmon are keystones because of the tens of hundreds of species that rely on the bears throwing away the salmon onthe banks of the river. If the bears migrated or died, the ecosystem would collapse because of a lack of new nutrients (dead salmon).

Human networks are the same. Without a steady stream of money (business), new ideas or products (the economy), people (an organization), donors (charities), children (families) our networks would collapse also. So what's they key? How do we build networks that last?

Human networks last when the quality of the conversation helps the people participating in the conversation. People walk, maybe even storm, away from unproductive conversations. But we'll stay up late at night to talk excitedly to a new or old friend. We excitedly go to events and conferences when its about what we want to hear, but dread going to meetings we think are irrelevant.

What keystones do in a human network is provide both a topic of conversation, and opportunities to engage in that conversation. By providing the topics and opportunities for conversations, keystones create and increase the effectiveness of those conversations.

Keystones weave networks of people and events around topics of conversations. They organize sports teams, invite peope over for movies and they can even start organizations such as clubs, non-profits and businesess.

Want to know how much 'keystoning' you do? When was the last time you hosted a talk about something that interests multiple people?

Remember two things about keystones:
1. Keystones are not particular people, they are patterns of behavior, and therefore learnable.
2. Keystone provide opportunities, as in they play host, not just participant.

Weaving Networks is not just about professional networking, but a way of life.