NETWORKING CHARTER
Cornerstone Networking Initiatives (CNI)
Business Management
Purdue University
December 2012
1|Business Management
Creating a need…
An employee in a departmental business office with little experience lacks the confidence to pick up
the phone and ask for help. Being a new employee, this person might have a small network of
people that he/she knows can help. For example, his/her options to answer a payroll question
might be to call the central payroll department for a payroll question. This creates a bind on the
central department and underutilizes the vast resource of having a business manager in each office
that can competently answer most questions. The new employee needs a larger network and a way
to build confidence to call a colleague that will not bog down an already swamped central network.
History
Business Services and its subsidiary Business Management at Purdue University have a long tradition
of creating a family friendly work environment. Business Services currently operates the BS Social
Committee that is tasked with planning 3 to 4 social events yearly. The Business Management group
has a Business Management Bi-Annual Communication Forum to promote issues that relate to
business managers, and what steps are being completed by the Business Manager group to take
care of the issues. Business Management provides many committee opportunities for staff.
Business Services offers a staff development program for new hires to acclimate them to Purdue
University. Not all new hires go through the staff development program. The new hires are asked
to grow and network with peers in their hiring cohort. No all-encompassing networking program
currently exists in Business Management.
Vision
Sharing positive experiences among peers can inspire idea cultivation, leadership development,
progressive retention, and brand loyalty. Peer networking can be the foundation for positive growth
throughout an organization. Business Management proposes Cornerstone Networking Initiatives to
lay the groundwork for increased networking opportunities in the future.
Business Management will request volunteers to serve on the Cornerstone Networking Initiatives
Board. The CNI Board will lay the foundation to plan and coordinate networking events through
surveys, a yearly calendar, and communication with group leaders. The focus of networking events
will be to offer members of Business Management a way to meet and get to know colleagues
through activities that may or may not relate to work.
Business Management will continue to promote a positive, inclusive, diverse, and supportive
business management environment through the Cornerstone Networking Initiatives and use the CNI
help to create a friendlier, more positive atmosphere for idea circulation and can be a driver for
forward moving organizations.
2|Business Management
Coverage
The following items are covered by the Networking Charter:
CNI Board
– The CNI Board will need to be 3 to 5 persons who are inspired to help
peers network. The board will be responsible for administering semiannual networking surveys, analyzing survey results, administering
initial networking groups, and assisting to add new members to
current networking activities
Surveys
– Surveys will need to be completed by participants on a semi-annual
basis and presented to the Business Management organization.
Activity Leaders
– Activity leaders will own their networking activities. Leaders will be
responsible for setting up the activity, calendaring the activity,
attending or making sure somebody attends in his/her place,
supplying materials (i.e. a ball for volleyball), and invite attendees to
join the activity (promotion).
Yearly Calendar
– Activities will be added to the calendar centrally or by the activity
owner. Anyone can join an activity that is posted. Networking
Leaders should send a friendly reminder to the individuals that show
they would like to join the activity.
Allocations
Purdue Business Management does not plan to make a financial allocation towards networking
committee activities. Business Management will host the networking calendar on the Business
Management website and will also provide assistance to post items to the calendar.
Submission Process
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Email sent to ask for CNI board members
Central Staff will assist with launching an online calendar that includes event and attendees.
CNI board will send out a Networking Survey
CNI board will analyze networking survey.
CNI board will use the results of the survey to create teams
CNI board will appoint Networking leaders based on survey results
Networking leaders will post events to the calendar
Networking leaders will promote their event
Networking leaders will send final reminders/cancellations of events
Networking leaders will report back to committee members if processes should be updated
3|Business Management
Guidelines for Process
a. Activities should be…
i. Fun – attention grabbing, ex. Lunch, happy hour, walking, sport, etc.
ii. Inexpensive – shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, keep it cheap and…
iii. Simple – what do you like to do in your free-time, others probably like to do it too
iv. Engaging – should allow members to chat, communicate, compete, listen, etc.
v. Non-time consuming – it might only take a half hour to an hour to get to know
someone; you don’t have to take all day/night.
vi. Family friendly – could this activity possibly include significant other/children?
vii. Relaxing – this could be running, working out, sitting around, etc.
viii. Convenient – you don’t have to go across the country to have a good time, try
to find something local, the county fair is a nice treat late in the summertime.
ix. Social – it’s good to know how someone reacts around others, get out and live a
little.
x. Modest – it doesn’t have to be extravagant to have a good time.
xi. Friendly.
b. Promotion should be…
i. Basic – word of mouth, email, quick phone call.
ii. Inexpensive
c. Takeaways should include…
i. Expanding your network - answer the question of not knowing who to call.
ii. Creating the atmosphere of confidence that others are happy to help solve
problems.
4|Business Management