The fall 2021 semester of Collective Mind Academy is now closed.

Ready to improve your network practice?
Join us for Collective Mind Academy!

Collective Mind Academy is our latest virtual professional development opportunity in the style of a semester-focused course. We designed the Academy to be flexible and adaptive so that you can tailor your learning to your needs, schedule, and availability. You can:

• Join by module or for the full five-module Academy.

• Review the materials for each module (background reading, worksheet, optional additional references) on your own time.

• Join your peers for live "office hour" discussion sessions or view the recordings later.

*See registration deadlines below if you wish to have access to the live office hour sessions.

Tell me more about what I’ll learn… 

Over 10 weeks, you’ll build skills and expertise on five practical topics: 

• Module 1: Establishing your network’s shared purpose

  Shared purpose is the visionary goal around which strategies are defined, people are mobilized, and activities are established and harmonized. We’ll consider how to set the scope of a network’s shared purpose, how it influences your membership, how to translate it into strategies, and more.

• Module 2: Developing your network’s membership model

  Along with shared purpose, membership is a foundational capacity of networks. We’ll consider the multiple components of your membership model including who your members are, the nature and size of your network’s membership, and criteria for membership as well as how to think about engagement, inclusion, and equity. 

• Module 3: Designing your network’s infrastructure

  Network infrastructure is the structural design and components of a network, including externally visible structures and processes, that support collective action by members. We’ll consider how to structure your network to ensure key functions and roles including governance, management, and production of outputs and outcomes towards your network’s shared purpose.

• Module 4: Building your network’s culture

  Network culture is the network’s operating philosophy including the shared values, norms, attitudes, and practices of both individuals and groups. While often intangible, the network’s culture maintains the shared purpose and ensures ongoing collaboration. We’ll consider how to manage the range of dynamics that arise in a network (conflict, accountability, etc.) and how to foster effective collaboration.

• Module 5: Embodying a network mindset

  A network mindset recognizes, understands, and responds to the complexity of a network as well as appreciates the differences between a network and a traditional organization. A network mindset understands that we work through a network because the goal or challenge that we seek to address requires a complex set of stakeholders acting together. We’ll consider how to foster a network mindset within and across your network and how to embody it yourself.

How is the semester structured? 

Each topic is its own module and includes a) a background reading, b) a worksheet to analyze your network, c) a reference list of (optional) additional readings, and d) office hours. 

Office hours are live sessions for clarification and discussion with Collective Mind and other participants, offered at multiple times. Video recordings will be made available in case you miss a session or want to review it again. 

Each module will run for two weeks during which you will review the background reading, complete the worksheet, and join the office hours. If you’re an all-access participant (see below), you’ll also engage with each other via our Slack platform. 

What’s the schedule for the semester? 

The Academy will run for 10 weeks from Monday, October 4th to Friday, December 10th.

Office hours will be held for each module on Thursday at 8am ET during the first week and on Tuesday at 3pm ET of the second week. You can join one or both office hour sessions depending on your interest and availability, or view the recording(s) on your own time. The full schedule is below.

• Establishing your network’s shared purpose (weeks of October 4th and October 11th) 

  • Office hours: Thursday, October 7th at 8am ET and Tuesday, October 12th at 3pm ET

• Developing your network’s membership model (weeks of October 18th and October 25th) 

  • Office hours: Thursday, October 21st at 8am ET and Tuesday, October 26th at 3pm ET

• Designing your network’s infrastructure (weeks of November 1st and November 8th) 

  • Office hours: Thursday, November 4th at 8am ET and Tuesday, November 9th at 3pm ET

• Building your network’s culture (weeks of November 15th and November 22nd) 

  • Office hours: Thursday, November 18th at 8am ET and Tuesday, November 23rd at 3pm ET (2nd office hours rescheduled to Tuesday, November 30th at 3pm ET)

• Embodying a network mindset (weeks of November 29th and December 6th) 

  • Office hours: Thursday, December 2nd at 8am ET and Tuesday, December 7th at 3pm ET

How can I customize my learning journey?

Your learning journey should be flexible and adapted to your needs. You can thereby join Collective Mind Academy in multiple ways.

All-access: Sign up for the full semester including:

• the full package of all 5 modules including background readings, worksheets, and reference lists with additional readings for each.

• the office hour live sessions and the video recordings.

• our Slack community discussion platform to connect with each other and Collective Mind in an ongoing fashion throughout the semester. 

By module: Sign up for one or more modules and get access to:

• materials for the individual module(s) you’re interested in, including the background reading, worksheet, and reference lists with additional readings for the module.

• the office hour live sessions and the video recordings.

What’s the registration deadline?

*Your registration deadline depends on the learning journey you desire.

For all-access:

• To have access to all live office hours sessions for the full semester, sign up by the first day of the Academy (Monday, October 4th).

• For access to video recordings of office hours, sign up whenever you’d like before the semester closes on Friday, December 10th.

By module:

• To have access to live office hour sessions, sign up before the module starts:

  • Establishing your network’s shared purpose — Monday, October 4th

  • Developing your network’s membership model — Monday, October 18th

  • Designing your network’s infrastructure — Monday, November 1st

  • Building your network’s culture — Monday, November 15th

  • Embodying a network mindset — Monday, November 29th

• For access to video recordings of office hours, sign up whenever you’d like before the semester closes on Friday, December 10th.