A network designer is someone who constructs relationships to benefit themselves or an organization. The hidden power is in relationships and the person who can organize them will always be valuable. The organizer of any group is always people any organization needs.

The Network Designer can act as a middle man, information hub, or connector. Many people only know many people in a certain neighborhood, institution, or group. That is only in one narrow category. When you know plenty people in one category that is like knowing all the people in one hallway of a building. It is good to be connected and known by them because you can get information down those hallways fast and in earshot of all of your people. Because you are close to them and talk to them frequently.

The problem with knowing many people in one category of life is that everybody down that hallway most likely knows the same information. Because they are from the same neighborhood and have similar friends and habits. 

The power comes to the person who can connect people from different hallways. The person who connects different neighborhoods or departments. Make sure when you are on the job make sure you're a connector. If you know everybody in one area of the job make sure to expand out to meet people from a different department. 

The reason is that you will be able to bring in different information because they have different experiences, and resources. If you only talk with people in one area you will be disconnected from new information. You can be relying on old or outdated information that is circulating in your hallway.

Most jobs that people work at they heard word of the job opening from people they are not close to personally. The people that they're acquainted with know of information that the people closest to them don't know. When jobs appear you and the people in your hallway know of that same job. But people in your hallway may not have heard of a job outside the hallway. If you're connected with different people outside of your comfortable hallway you will have the potential to be a connector.

connector is someone who brings people together from different hallways. When you are a connector you will be exposed to different information. That can be potentially valuable and you can bring that information to your hallway. Eventually, you will gather so much information you will become an information hub.

When you are an information hub people will begin to rely on you for information. When you have the information in today's society you have more power because people value relevant information.

When you act as a go between people you become like a middle man and you get to connect like minded people in groups with ease. Being that middle man you can connect people together that are in disagreement with each other and dispute problems this will make you a peacemaker like Henry Kissinger.

When you become a peacemaker, dealmaker, or even a cake maker this will be an asset because you will have a reputation for getting things done. You will be able to bring people together or make things happen people thought couldn't be done.

Understanding these roles and how to play them in the 21st century will make you valuable beyond your imagination. Knowing when to play what role will make you a network designer. You will be able to construct a powerful group of people to get work done, in no time. This will make you a leader in the digital edge.

When you are pinging while doing this you will stand out. The red cross doesn't have everybody assembled before disaster happen. This will be inefficient. They just have multiple network designers in place that will reach out to connectors, who have been maintaining those relationships all along, that will know who to talk to down each hallway. Then the word will get out to organize volunteers for the current crisis.

But, the red cross already has the proper people in place. Don't wait until you lose your job to find a network. Already be a network designer, connector, and not just a hallway leader. Then you wouldn't be waiting for word to get back to you. You would be the one bringing the word like Paul Revere. "The Brittish is coming".  
July 03, 2023 — Helen Ayim