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Connecting to Change the World: Harnessing the Power of Networks for Social Impact
Something new and important is afoot. Nonprofit and philanthropic organizations are under increasing pressure to do more and to do better to increase and improve productivity with fewer resources. Social entrepreneurs, community-minded leaders, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropists now recognize that to achieve greater impact they must adopt a network-centric approach to solving difficult problems. Building networks of like-minded organizations and people offers them a way to weave together and create strong alliances that get better leverage, performance, and results than any single organization is able to do.
While the advantages of such networks are clear, there are few resources that offer easily understandable, field-tested information on how to form and manage social-impact networks. Drawn from the authors’ deep experience with more than thirty successful network projects, Connecting to Change the World provides the frameworks, practical advice, case studies, and expert knowledge needed to build better performing networks. Readers will gain greater confidence and ability to anticipate challenges and opportunities.
Easily understandable and full of actionable advice, Connecting to Change the World is an informative guide to creating collaborative solutions to tackle the most difficult challenges society faces.
While the advantages of such networks are clear, there are few resources that offer easily understandable, field-tested information on how to form and manage social-impact networks. Drawn from the authors’ deep experience with more than thirty successful network projects, Connecting to Change the World provides the frameworks, practical advice, case studies, and expert knowledge needed to build better performing networks. Readers will gain greater confidence and ability to anticipate challenges and opportunities.
Easily understandable and full of actionable advice, Connecting to Change the World is an informative guide to creating collaborative solutions to tackle the most difficult challenges society faces.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2014
32 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 20, 2025
Though over a decade old, this book deserves five stars for its solid coverage of a foundational knowledge area in a relatively short read.
In a hyper connected world, with historic inequality and highly coordinated industry and special interest groups, it's easy to be out-organized. But we needn't be.
If we all better understood the key network roles - catalyzing, weaving, coordinating and convening - our places and roles in the networks around us and the power of network mapping, we could each play a greater role in creating a potent counterforce for shared values and a brighter future - for us, the planet, the economy, the animals... all of it.
This review is an application, not synthesis, of the book's contents.
In a hyper connected world, with historic inequality and highly coordinated industry and special interest groups, it's easy to be out-organized. But we needn't be.
If we all better understood the key network roles - catalyzing, weaving, coordinating and convening - our places and roles in the networks around us and the power of network mapping, we could each play a greater role in creating a potent counterforce for shared values and a brighter future - for us, the planet, the economy, the animals... all of it.
This review is an application, not synthesis, of the book's contents.
April 16, 2025
Another class reading
November 8, 2014
We live in a world of change yet for many people they know no different – the corporate world has changed. Big organizations are no longer what they used to be – they can still be big but they are not normally organized in such a monolithic way. Greater reliance is being placed on the effects of networking and inter-connections.
It is here where this comprehensive book comes in. Whether you are a small company, non-profit, a megacorp or even a government body, there is greater than ever acceptance that it is better to build a network or alliance. There can be strength and diversity in numbers. The authors contend that despite it being fairly obvious “why” such things are a benefit, there is a shortage of the “how” and here they offer field-tested information on how to form and manage social-impact networks.
A combined mix of background information, operational frameworks, practical advice and evidence-based case studies are offered up. It is unfortunate that this book felt a bit too U.S.-centric: it is hard to say exactly why this seemed to be a small problem but it just was a nagging feeling throughout. Nonetheless the central messages being provided were not diluted. The “company man” might not be the same as before, instead there could be the equivalent of “spiders” who sit in the centre of their webs – interconnected webs – and helping achieve much more as part of a team than what might be possibly available in isolation.
Certainly the book gave a lot of thoughts to the reader and it is backed up by a lot of additional reading sources. If you approach the subject with an open mind you potentially have a lot to gain. The change has happened already so it might be a question of “when” rather than “if” you jump on-board, should you still be riding in the slipstream of others. It is more than possible, of course, that you are already there but just haven’t realized it yet…. It won’t be a book for everybody but if you invest the time and trouble to read it, you invariably will get much back in return.
Connecting to Change the World, by Peter Plastrik, Madeleine Taylor & John Cleveland and published by Island Press. ISBN 9781610915328, 256 pages. YYYY.
It is here where this comprehensive book comes in. Whether you are a small company, non-profit, a megacorp or even a government body, there is greater than ever acceptance that it is better to build a network or alliance. There can be strength and diversity in numbers. The authors contend that despite it being fairly obvious “why” such things are a benefit, there is a shortage of the “how” and here they offer field-tested information on how to form and manage social-impact networks.
A combined mix of background information, operational frameworks, practical advice and evidence-based case studies are offered up. It is unfortunate that this book felt a bit too U.S.-centric: it is hard to say exactly why this seemed to be a small problem but it just was a nagging feeling throughout. Nonetheless the central messages being provided were not diluted. The “company man” might not be the same as before, instead there could be the equivalent of “spiders” who sit in the centre of their webs – interconnected webs – and helping achieve much more as part of a team than what might be possibly available in isolation.
Certainly the book gave a lot of thoughts to the reader and it is backed up by a lot of additional reading sources. If you approach the subject with an open mind you potentially have a lot to gain. The change has happened already so it might be a question of “when” rather than “if” you jump on-board, should you still be riding in the slipstream of others. It is more than possible, of course, that you are already there but just haven’t realized it yet…. It won’t be a book for everybody but if you invest the time and trouble to read it, you invariably will get much back in return.
Connecting to Change the World, by Peter Plastrik, Madeleine Taylor & John Cleveland and published by Island Press. ISBN 9781610915328, 256 pages. YYYY.
October 6, 2015
This 2014 book delves into what makes networks tick. How do networks start? How do they stay healthy? How does a network approach to work differ from an organization-based approach? Lots of real-world examples help keep this a very readable book.
Recommended for those new to network work, but the book is also full of useful tips and resources for those already enmeshed in the network way of thinking and working.
Read my full review here
Recommended for those new to network work, but the book is also full of useful tips and resources for those already enmeshed in the network way of thinking and working.
Read my full review here
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews