The Networked Professional

Looking back on the notes I made at our campus session on wednesday I realised what an impact it had made on the way in which I now look at myself as a Networked Professional and how this course is going to improve it in my Professional Practice.
I originally thought of how I use my 'professional networks' to get me a Job but generally that was just a paid job in mind.In the Plenary of this weeks session Adesola made a great point; thats it's not always a paid job we are after whilst networking, it's also part of our creative journey, by using the people/networks we make along the way to sculpture who we are as professionals. This was a point I could connect with and stimulated me to expand on, by using the idea that these contacts made on our creative,professional journeys are almost like 'Junctions'-'Trainstops' on a tube map of us as a 'Networked Professional'.
The day started with us individually thinking about our own sources and ways of networking which followed by steps and discussions.

• Self assesment
• Discussing and comparing our ways of networking with a partner
• Sharing discoveries and ways to improve these with the group.

During these stages we attempted to compare and relate these to theoratical perspectives.

We then divided into small groups to embode our individual maps and ideas together to make a diagram.
! this is where a blib, hurdle or learning curve took place.
Our group (Nicholas, Nikki and I) put alot of time into discussing such a small part of networking;
Linear ways such as our Agents,Web based tools and Colleagues,friends etc.

However after being prompted to look outside of the box and to think of BOTH 'certain' and  'possible' scenarios, this made us realise there was much more to networking. For example our meetings, introductions and social events that make these networks.
Which helped us to come up with the idea of the tube map of networks,using different ways e.g Community of Practice. As a line then have the ways that come under this title as stops,juctions etc.
 I am currently working out how to post a draft I have had to draw up on microsoft onto here, as my scanner Isn't working :(

We presented these ideas to the rest of the group and listened to their outcomes from the session, other interesting and useful ways of clarifying how,when, where and who we network were shown on wednesday and are talked about in blogs like Joannas. They had a couple of diagrams which I have found extremely useful during my journal writing.
Thank god wednesday made me dig my teeth straight into the readers to learn more! so far so good.