Governing Through Networks

Chapter 11: Governing Through Networks is the final chapter of The Networked Nonprofit, and to be honest, it's a bit dry. This is one of those chapters that goes right over my head because it's something I have zero experience with. The authors discuss how traditional governing boards can hinder an organization's ability to maximize effectiveness by failing to move past traditional board organization and operations. The authors suggest that boards embrace a more modern way of operating, using social media to increase enthusiasm and effectiveness.


The authors recommend that governing boards act like social networks by creating private social networks, joining public social networks, creating open invitations to board meetings, posting draft agendas online, training board members in social media, meeting somewhere new, and sharing information and data. A lot of these suggestions go back to the previously discussed idea of transparency. Governing boards that act like social networks are essentially putting it all out there, greatly increasing the transparency of an organization. Because of this, traditional organizations that are still stuck in the fortress stage may balk at the idea of boards acting like social networks. When traditional organizations embrace the idea of social media, boards will learn to behave like social networks and organizations will finally become transparent.