Talking Ties: The Science of Social Networks
Jun 1, 2026 · 55 min · 11 segments
Welcome to our podcast! The Social Networks Society (SNS) is a community aimed to foster meaningful connections among scholars engaged in research, teaching, and practice of social networks. In this…
Greg PryorGuest
Valdis KrebsGuest
Jesse FaganGuest
Jason RossHostThea Dimova ShakurHostHow does your work as practitioner change the way, um, you interpret networks research?
Um, again, for me it was that sort of, that, that, that Dorothy from Wizard of Oz moment.
it is, it is v- basically sort of known i- as an idea, but not really put into practice.
So one of the opportunities I had to do was to actually add connections within the talent strategy that I had the chance to lead across many organizations.
So the talent strategy had sort of five pillars of capability, career, compensation, contribution, and connection.
So I was very intentional in adding connections as part of the talent strategy and saying, "This is something we're going to measure, we're going to leverage, we're going to develop within the organization." And so for me, that was really a game changer as a practitioner.
They both were surprised that that was added, but it totally made sense at the same time.
How could it be missing for so long?" When I think about my own success or my team's success or others' success, relationships, connections, networks are part of that.
But, you know, it just really wasn't part of the framework, I believe, at least in my experience, for HR professionals for, you know, for so long.
I think that's the tremendous opportunity that we have in front of us, is to bring the, the entire toolkit of social and organizational network science to bear in organizations.
But for me, adding connections within the- these other sort of four pillars that were very classic in the HR space was a game changer for me.
Uh, when I started my own business, I thought that 80 to 90% of my clients would be HR, and it turned out to be exactly the opposite.
How does your work as practitioner change the way, um, you interpret networks research?
Um, again, for me it was that sort of, that, that, that Dorothy from Wizard of Oz moment.
it is, it is v- basically sort of known i- as an idea, but not really put into practice.
So one of the opportunities I had to do was to actually add connections within the talent strategy that I had the chance to lead across many organizations.
So the talent strategy had sort of five pillars of capability, career, compensation, contribution, and connection.
So I was very intentional in adding connections as part of the talent strategy and saying, "This is something we're going to measure, we're going to leverage, we're going to develop within the organization." And so for me, that was really a game changer as a practitioner.
They both were surprised that that was added, but it totally made sense at the same time.
How could it be missing for so long?" When I think about my own success or my team's success or others' success, relationships, connections, networks are part of that.
But, you know, it just really wasn't part of the framework, I believe, at least in my experience, for HR professionals for, you know, for so long.
I think that's the tremendous opportunity that we have in front of us, is to bring the, the entire toolkit of social and organizational network science to bear in organizations.
But for me, adding connections within the- these other sort of four pillars that were very classic in the HR space was a game changer for me.
Uh, when I started my own business, I thought that 80 to 90% of my clients would be HR, and it turned out to be exactly the opposite.
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