Applications of Organizational Network Analysis with Maya Townsend
- Date
- 2023-11-10
- Host
- Personal
About this event
Organizations run on relationships as much as org charts. If you want to understand how information actually moves, where collaboration gets stuck, and who really connects teams across a company or community, this talk will give you a practical lens for seeing those patterns more clearly. Applications of Organizational Network Analysis with Maya Townsend is designed for people who want to make better decisions about teams, communication, influence, and change. About the Event This is an in-person talk focused on Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) and how it can be applied in real settings. Rather than treating organizations as static boxes and lines, ONA looks at the relationships between people: who shares knowledge, who solves problems together, where trust exists, and where important connections are missing. The session is especially relevant if you work in community, networking, people operations, team leadership, organizational design, or any role where outcomes depend on coordination across groups. It sits at the intersection of strategy and human behavior, which makes it useful whether you think in terms of culture, systems, operations, or collaboration. Because this is framed as a talk, you can expect a structured presentation with clear ideas and examples, rather than a loose social gathering. At the same time, the event’s community and networking angle means it should also appeal to people who want to meet others thinking seriously about how relationships shape organizations. What to Expect Expect a focused discussion on what Organizational Network Analysis is, why it matters, and how it can be used to reveal patterns that are often invisible in day-to-day work. The core value of ONA is that it helps you move beyond assumptions. Instead of relying only on hierarchy or job titles, it gives you a way to think about influence, collaboration, bottlenecks, and informal leadership. Topics likely to be useful in a session like this include: How networks differ from formal structure and why that difference matters How collaboration patterns shape performance, innovation, and decision-making How to spot central connectors, brokers, and hidden influencers inside a group How to identify silos, overload, or weak connections that may be slowing work down How network thinking can support change efforts, leadership development, and healthier collaboration You should also expect the event to be highly relevant for real-world application. This is not just a theoretical subject. ONA becomes most powerful when it helps people answer practical questions such as: Where does knowledge get stuck? Which people are carrying too much invisible coordination work? Which teams collaborate well, and which barely connect? How can leaders support better information flow without adding unnecessary process? As an in-person event, there is also a strong chance for informal conversation before or after the talk. If you enjoy learning from both the speaker and the room, this format gives you an opportunity to hear the main ideas and then compare notes with other attendees working on adjacent challenges. Why Attend If you have ever felt that the official picture of an organization does not match reality, this event will likely resonate. Many of the hardest problems in organizations are network problems in disguise: misalignment between teams, over-reliance on a few people, weak knowledge sharing, poor cross-functional visibility, or stalled change initiatives. Attending can help you build a more accurate mental model of how organizations function. That matters whether you lead a team, advise clients, support internal operations, build communities, or simply want to become more effective in complex environments. Understanding networks can change how you approach hiring, collaboration, communication, leadership, and organizational design. You may leave with takeaways such as: A clearer understanding of the practical uses of ONA Better language for discussing informal influence and collaboration patterns New ways to think about silos, trust, communication flow, and team effectiveness Questions you can bring back to your own organization or community Connections with others who care about the social side of how work gets done Just as importantly, this event offers a chance to sharpen your perspective. Even if you are not running a formal network analysis project, the concepts can improve how you observe systems, diagnose problems, and support healthier ways of working. Practical Details This event takes place in person on Friday, November 10 at 12:00 PM EST. The in-person format is a meaningful part of the experience, especially for a topic centered on relationships, networks, and human connection. The midday timing makes it a good fit for people who want to break up the workday with a substantive learning session. If you are local or able to attend in person, it is worth planning enough time not only for the talk itself but also for any networking or follow-up conversation around it. A few good ways to prepare: Come with a specific organizational challenge in mind Think about where communication or collaboration feels stronger or weaker in your own context Be ready to take notes on ideas you can test immediately Leave space for conversation with other attendees after the session If your work depends on people connecting, coordinating, and sharing information well, this is a timely, practical event to have on your calendar.
Who should attend
This event is for you if you want a sharper, more realistic way to understand how organizations actually function through relationships, not just reporting lines. - You lead teams or cross-functional work and want to understand why collaboration feels easy in some places and difficult in others. - You work in **people operations, HR, organizational development, internal communications, or culture** and want better tools for thinking about influence, connection, and change. - You are a **consultant, coach, strategist, or advisor** helping clients improve team effectiveness, leadership, or organizational design. - You build or manage **communities, networks, or member organizations** and care about how trust, participation, and information flow shape outcomes. - You are curious about the hidden structure inside groups, including informal leaders, bottlenecks, silos, and overlooked connectors. - You enjoy talks that combine practical insight with thoughtful discussion, and you would value meeting other people interested in the social dynamics of work. You do not need to be a technical specialist to get something useful from this session. If you regularly work with people, systems, and coordination challenges, the ideas here should feel immediately relevant.