The age of the network

The Age of the Network offers leaders, managers, and teams a new, practical view of how to think about their companies and reinvent them without losing the value and knowledge that's embedded in their current organisation. Lipnack and Stamps contend that only truly 'networked' organisations can move beyond mere survival to consistent success. Based on proven concepts developed by the authors and employed in organisations such as Hyatt Hotels and Malcolm Baldrige award winner Eastman Chemical, The Age of the Network reveals how today's leaders can create organisations and teams that are defined by speed, agility, and a web of interconnected relationships.

In this new 'age of the network', organisations can break through impenetrable challenges and recognise entirely new business opportunities through the creation of interlocking, boundary-crossing teams. From Eastman Chemical's 'pizza and pepperoni' organisation to Al Gore's National Performance Review, leaders are learning the incredible value of creating 'links' inside and outside their organisations. The Age of the Network delivers a rich array of advice and insights for starting the vital process of creating a networked enterprise. Lipnack and Stamps show managers how to focus on five essential teamnet (networks of teams) principles which include establishing a clear purpose and creating communication links. Next, they offer a guided tour describing how organisations can turn these principles into practice and evaluate their real potential for creating a networked organisation.

Leaders are challenged to create 'islands of trust' through the careful design and development of networked teams. This new 'social capital' will be essential to maintaining the critical connections in every networked organisation. Lipnack and Stamps also offer a glimpse of the future in the current trends driving change in almost every enterprise. Their advice on navigating rapid change will give leaders new insights on sustaining their networked organisations well into the 21st century.

(From the publishers)