NETWORK-FIRST MANIFESTO

Francisco Marin

Founder & CEO @Cognitive Talent Solutions

“The Network-First Future of Work is about reclaiming collaborative freedom, where people are empowered to connect, create and lead beyond rigid hierarchies. When we prioritize networks, we enable more human, adaptive and resilient organizations.”

“As AI levels the playing field of competence, social capital emerges as the new competitive edge—welcome to the network-first future.”

Andras Vicsek

Chairman of the Board of Directors @Maven Seven

“The Network-First Manifesto stands firmly against the dehumanization of people at work. Now is the time to act — to build organizations grounded in connection, trust, and shared purpose. That means: 1) Collaborative freedom over collaborative control, 2) Technology that elevates people, not replaces them, and 3) Data used to empower, not to police. Let’s shape a more human future of work — together.”

“Network capital is human capital.”

Sanja Licina

President @QuestionPro

“Relationships are at the foundation of who we are as humans. In the world that is changing faster than ever, the strengths of our relationships and networks will be what helps us not only excel, but also embrace and thrive in the unknown.”

“To me, a Network‑First future means recognising that people get things done through trust and relationships, not just formal roles. It’s about designing work to support that reality—open, flexible, and respectful of how humans really operate.”

Allen Kamin

Practice Leader @Oracle

“The Network-First Manifesto stands firmly against the dehumanization of people at work. Now is the time to act — to build organizations grounded in connection, trust, and shared purpose. That means: 1) Collaborative freedom over collaborative control, 2) Technology that elevates people, not replaces them, and 3) Data used to empower, not to police. Let’s shape a more human future of work — together.”

“Networks provide us with the knowledge, energy, and freedom to accomplish meaningful objectives. When people invest in strengthening relationships, organizations and communities benefit from the shared progress we all achieve.”

Matt Stuckey

Snr AVP Org Effectiveness @Wells Fargo

“Fantastic method to encourage organizations to become experience-led and agile”

“Network-First recognizes the reality that knowledge work is delivered both in our verticals and horizontally.”

“The data of human connection lights the path to deeper human insights.”

“Shared accountability and recognition of the informal leaders.”

Jeffrey Beeson

Connections Catalyst @Network Leadership

“In the Network-First Future of Work, leadership is no longer about controlling the system—it’s about connecting the people who make the system thrive.”

“I believe that true impact at work is revealed not by titles or tenure, but through the invisible threads of trust, collaboration, and influence that people build with each other. A network-first approach honors that reality, helping us rightly recognize individuals for the difference they make at work.”

“Having a deep understanding of networks is the key to unlocking greater effectiveness not just in the workplace, but in a wide variety of domains. I truly believe that networks are more than just a tool to increase efficiency, they are a foundational framework through which to view the world.”

“A Network-First Future of Work means redistributing context, not just data. When ethical, group-level network insights are shared across the org, not hoarded at the top, we cut through the noise, reduce hidden biases, and empower teams to make data-informed, smarter and faster decisions. In a world fragmented by tools, distance, and AI, networks are how we rebuild clarity, trust, and meaningful collaboration at scale.”

“How we work together is changing radically. From teams of contracted employees working within the boundaries of one firm, to talented ecosystems of individuals working across borders and across disciplines. A new way of working is emerging and it is Network-First.”

“As a company that is a network of networks, mainly in large global companies, we see this as the future of work and organizational design.”

“A Network-First Future of Work solves one of our society’s most daunting problems—disconnection.”

“Networks have always been the invisible engines of work—quietly powering innovation and progress while leaders focused on lines, boxes, and control-driven processes. The future of work isn’t about creating networks, but about finally recognizing, nurturing, and trusting the vibrant webs that have always connected us.”

Miguel Nisembaum

Founder @Mapa de Talentos

“Network first organizations are those who multiply individual and colective human potential.”

“Imagine a football team made up of nothing but superstars—each one brilliant, but none playing together. Would you bet on them to win a championship? The most valuable organizations don’t just collect top talent—they get their stars to play as a team. That’s the essence of a Network‑First organization: unlocking performance through connection, not just credentials. At AdnScan, we believe in a Network‑First future—because true impact happens when people connect, collaborate, and grow together.”

Miralem Masic

Co-founder @Optimum Business Solution

“The future of work belongs to networks, not hierarchies. In networks, knowledge flows freely, talent connects without borders, and innovation is decentralized — faster, smarter, and fairer. Organizations that understand power lies in connection, not control, will be the ones shaping tomorrow.”

Dan George

CEO @Piper Key

“Networks provide us with the knowledge, energy, and freedom to accomplish meaningful objectives. When people invest in strengthening relationships, organizations and communities benefit from the shared progress we all achieve.”

“Thinking in community beyond personal ego. Collaboration over individuality.”

“The next frontier of performance isn’t found in job titles or process charts—it lives in the web of relationships that quietly powers every decision. When we visualize those networks and act on what they reveal, we turn hierarchy into shared intelligence and unlock progress no single role could achieve alone.”

“Collaboration equals success. I’ve seen this equation proven time and again—whether leading teams, advising clients, or working within HR. Understanding how people connect, communicate, and influence one another is often the missing link between strategy and execution. Through network mapping, analysis, and intentional leverage, we gain powerful insight into the informal structures that drive real results. It’s that extra edge that can significantly elevate business performance.”

“A first Stone on our way to set standards of excellence for the ONA industry.”

“Important to reflect and shape the future.”

“A Network-First Future of Work means we stop thinking in boxes and start thinking in connections. Value flows where relationships thrive across teams, not just within them.”

“Networks are the new way organizations are being organizaed. Being a network-first means the organization understands that and is willing to change its own practices to favour collaboration and conection among members”

“When we map the network, we unlock the true potential of our people.”

“Network-First will support development of employees and will create an efficient and responsive work environment.”

“Networks are everywhere, the Future of Work is no exception.”

“El futuro del trabajo no se construye desde la jerarquía, sino desde la conexión.”

“Network-First should be a must in all organizations that really want to grow exponentially.”

“Change the map, and you change how people lead.”

“It is a key tool for managing social capital, making a significant difference in a company’s competitiveness and transforming businesses into collaborative networks that work together to achieve a common goal.”

“There’s a hard truth we often forget. Every decision made about you and your opportunities is made in a room you’re not in. Which means your future doesn’t just depend on what you can do, it depends on what others believe you might help make possible.
That’s not just a personal truth, it’s a structural one.
In a Network-First world, where trust and traction move through people, potential needs to be visible to travel.
And the individuals and ideas that get invited into what’s next?
They’re the ones others can already imagine momentum with.”

“In a psychologically safe, network-first work environment, influence is earned through relationships rather than job titles, allowing teams to respond quickly, innovate more effectively, and remain resilient in the face of change. Healthy networks dismantle silos, encouraging people to connect across departments, solve problems together, and lead based on purpose and contribution. Adopting this model is a practical and necessary step for organizations that want to stay relevant and successful in a fast-moving, interconnected world.”

“If everyone believes in the future, it happens sooner.”

“The Early Church exemplified a network organizational structure in many ways. Understanding the role of network connections could greatly benefit churches in adapting to the best ways to organize into the future.”

“In the age of AI, we must adopt forward-thinking approaches to decentralize organizational structures, unlocking team dynamics, enhancing agility, and supporting sustainable growth in the modern workforce.”

“Advancing organizational performance that harnesses the power of individual consciousness within a network of mindful, aware and interconnected leaders toward a shared goal that serves an ecosystem of networks beyond traditional business boundaries.”

“Developing untapped hidden talent through network, ecosystem development.”

“Network-First is about connection, not contacts. The value of your network is the combined value of every connection you have and that your connections have.”

“A network-first future of work means designing for connection, not just control – because real transformation flows through trust.”

“All my life, I was an informal leader without even knowing it. Discovering the ONA platform opened my eyes to something powerful: the real, most genuine value in any organization is its people. And I can truly say—I’m in love with being part of this beautiful project, which is now a living reality and is already transforming lives.”

“A Network-First Future of Work means valuing connections over hierarchies—where knowledge flows across roles, borders, and time zones, and innovation is co-created through trusted relationships. In this model, success isn’t about where you work, but who you work with and how you empower each other.”

“I believe in the transformative power of networks. Network analysis holds significant potential for both companies and society, offering a path to shape a better, more connected future of work.”

“AI isn’t just new technology — it’s a new kind of teammate, reshaping how we work together. And now, as more teams adopt AI in the flow of everyday work, it’s forcing us to rethink the very structure of collaboration.”

“Networks must be the core of what we do moving forward; interconnection, rather than hierarchy, will be the defining model of the future of work.”

“Para mí, un Futuro del Trabajo basado en Redes es profundamente humano.
Es lo que trasciende lo técnico: es la conexión genuina, la presencia, las sensaciones compartidas. Es el talento capitalizado y amplificado al trabajar en colaboración, rediseñando la forma en que cooperamos para ser mejores personas, más felices y más productivas, tanto en lo individual como en nuestros entornos. Es construir desde lo mejor de cada uno, en espacios donde se valore la apertura, la creatividad, la disposición al cambio, el arte de hacer preguntas inteligentes y, sobre todo, la escucha activa y la empatía.”

“The bridge from strategy to execution is a road less travelled because it’s only taken by those who collaborate and communicate. You can’t do that on your own. The future of work doesn’t have roads that leaders can claim to have taken on their journey of leadership. There will be no hierarchy and organizational work charts. The future of work looks like the Kingdom of Bridges, and that’s exciting for business, as the opportunity is in closing the gap between strategy and execution.”

“In a network-first future, we must design not only for connection between people but also for connection with nature. Biophilic design reminds us that thriving networks, like thriving ecosystems, depend on diversity, flow, and the renewal of natural energy.”

“A network-first perspective can fundamentally change the way universities work, promote cross-disciplinary collaboration and enable sustainable teaching, learning and research concepts.”

“Trust is the catalyst to meaningful relationships. Meaningful relationships need love and nurturing to grow. This growth occurs as we interact with one another. It is a personal exchange between two or more people, not a program.”

“We are devoloping agile AI adoption for SMEs with special focus in human talent enhancement. NFFW appears to be completely aligned with our vision.”

“Goal oriented while being empathetic, optimize and be kind as the way to go. Build trust and share knowledge.”

“Hierarchies exist. Networks exist. It’s time to make them work together – and the only way to do that successfully is “network first”!”

“To me, a Network-First Future of Work at New York Life means shifting from rigid hierarchies to more dynamic, cross-functional ecosystems that enable agility, innovation, and better decision-making. In Technology, AI, and Data Operations, this directly impacts how we think about strategic workforce planning—moving from static roles to flexible, dynamic capacity models leveraging a skills-based deployment. While we’re still in early discussions, this shift has real implications for how we operate, engage, and unlock the full potential of our people across the enterprise.”

“The future of work is human centric. The sooner we get that, the better. We need to be focused on enabling people and organizations to usher in the future of work by being prepared for it. Readiness is key and we cannot be ready without human skills at the center of what we do. Skills to connect, have a sense of purpose, to become stewards, to be aware of self and others, to co-create, to endorse critical thinking as well as reflective thinking and vibrant conversations that lead to strategic outcomes.”

“We go far by going together!”

“Human connection, and the fundamental uniquely human traits that enable this, are a competitive advantage in an AI driven world.”

“AI requires us to be more human”

“Apertura necesaria a nuevas formas de tener presencia donde las redes y las interacciones que permitan conexiones”

“I think, in a Network‑First Future, transformation is not imposed from above but emerges from within: by mapping and mobilizing real influencers, we create self‑sustaining ecosystems where change is co‑created, peer‑driven, and far more resilient than any top‑down mandate.”

“The Network-First approach has fundamentally changed the way my clients view themselves as leaders and the value that each individual holds in an organization.”

“A Network-First Future of Work is one where collaboration becomes the foundation of progress and value flows through trusted connections rather than traditional structures.”

“Network-first work is a djembe circle: ideas strike the drum, AI holds the pulse, and shared trust forges sparks into a blaze of leaders building leaders.”

“An opportunity to reshape the future of organisations in Latin America.”

“As tech accelerates, the real edge won’t be what we build—it’ll be how we connect.
Innovation will keep speeding up. Knowledge and tools will commoditize. But trust, purpose, and human connection? Those don’t.
A Network-First Future of Work isn’t idealism. It’s intelligence in action. It’s systems and connections built on shared accountability, empowered people, and mutual respect.
This is where ethics will lead, relationships will scale, and people aren’t managed – they’re believed in.
At the center of every breakthrough … is a person. And there’s never been a more important time to be in the business of People”

“A Network‑First Future of Work means we design around relationships, not org charts—where value flows through trusted communities, APIs, and alliances more than hierarchies.”

“The strength of a network is directly proportional to its alignment to a North Star.”

“I have a personal interest in being parto of Network-First Manifesto Initiative, because I believe it is my reponsability as an HR Leaderto be part of anticipating the future of work and be one of the voices driving this evolution.”

“Connections are the reality of the organizations.”

“Focusing human work on the things that truly make us human.”

“Network-First? It’s about leading with powerful re-framing questions culled from lots of nearly imperceptible conversations. It’s finally saying out loud in the clear air – real value isn’t in workflows, dashboards, or the latest AI – it’s in the unplanned conversations, the backchannels, and the quick DMs”

“People need to Network to thrive together. Alone we go faster, together we go further.”

“It’s finally time to achieve the Jetson’s destiny we were promised, leverage the best of technology and human superpower.”

“This approach enables organizations to be more agile, resilient, and innovative.”

“Para Bantar360, un Network-First Future of Work es crear entornos donde las conexiones auténticas son la nueva moneda del valor. Redes vivas, horizontales y humanas que impulsan colaboración real, innovación con propósito y empresas que trabajan con las personas, no para el sistema.

Creemos en una forma de trabajar que repara, no que agota. Un futuro conectado es un futuro regenerativo, donde las redes entre líderes conscientes no solo multiplican el impacto, sino que sanan la forma en que hacemos empresa. El futuro del trabajo no será individualista, será interdependiente o no será.”

“The next frontier for the Future of Work won’t be artificial intelligence—it’ll be authentic intelligence: helping people surface and celebrate what makes them irreplaceably human.”

“A network-first future of work invites us to move beyond hierarchy and job titles toward ecosystems of purpose. It’s not about where you sit on an org chart—it’s about how you connect, contribute, and co-create. When we design for connection over control, we unlock the kind of multidimensional brilliance that no single role or department could ever hold alone.”

“Unlocking the true potential of collective intelligence.”

“In a Network-First Future of Work, value flows through relationships, not reporting lines. Our role as People & Business Transformation leaders is to design inclusive networks where trust, knowledge and decisions travel at the speed of change—turning social capital into measurable business impact.”

“Organizations are social systems. Network‑first means we treat relationships as the operating system of work. This helps ensure trust compounds, leadership decentralizes, and people are free to do their best work together, by design.”

“For me, a Network-First Future of Work means shifting from rigid hierarchies to dynamic ecosystems of collaboration — where value is created through trusted relationships, shared purpose, and collective intelligence. In this model, individuals and organizations thrive not because of size or structure, but because of their ability to connect meaningfully, learn continuously, and co-create solutions across sectors, geographies, and disciplines. It’s not just about who you know — it’s about what you can build together.”

“Because we recognize that real transformation—whether in healthcare or beyond—starts with rethinking how people connect, collaborate, and make sense of their shared work. At Renos, we’ve seen firsthand how rigid systems can drain meaning and resilience from professionals. We’re here because the Network-First principles align deeply with our belief that relationships, trust, and human values must be central in any sustainable future—especially in something as vital as healthcare. We see this initiative as a space to learn, share, and help adapt these ideas to a field in urgent need of reinvention.”

“Social capital is the true currency of a resilient healthcare workforce. In a Network-First future, it’s trust, shared purpose, and peer support across borders—not hierarchy—that allow location-independent doctors to thrive. Professional connection becomes a source of strength, innovation, and wellbeing.”

Nacho Vallejo-Maroto

Medical Doctor @Escuela de Agentes del Cambio en Sanidad

“A Network-First Future of Work means moving beyond vertical structures to activate real communities of trust, shared purpose, and collective learning. In healthcare, this means shifting from control to mutual care, from command to connection, and from the org chart to the ecosystem. It’s not about rearranging the nodes — it’s about re-energizing the connections.”

“Is through network that you get things done.”

Diana Valle

Strategic Advisor | Former large enterprise Chief of Staff & HRBP @Waypoint Strategies

“A Network-First Future of Work means moving beyond vertical structures to activate real communities of trust, shared purpose, and collective learning. In healthcare, this means shifting from control to mutual care, from command to connection, and from the org chart to the ecosystem. It’s not about rearranging the nodes — it’s about re-energizing the connections.”

“My name is Robert and I am a phonaholic: Whenever I had the urge to reconnect with an old friend, I’d log onto LinkedIn and it would go away. I’d been trying to get “dry” for over two years, but it was only when I switched off LinkedIn notifications that I realised I had an actual addiction. The next day I had withdrawal symptoms! Since then – my imagination is working properly again, I have more energy, and more presence, and I’m paying more attention to the intrinsic loneliness that has been driving my addictive behaviour – in turn, creating loneliness, and I’ve begun to seek more authentic forms of connection. I’m interested in the way addictive technology is distracting us from becoming our best selves, and creating a barrier towards building genuine human connection – so I’m actively seeking new kinds of “digital spaces” that honour attention, rather than steeling it, and that build our awareness of complex systems, rather than anesthetising us with memes, platitudes and thought terminating cliches.”

Shirley Braun

Founder @Swift Insights

“A Network-First Future means designing organizations as living ecosystems of trust where leadership emerges through authentic connections rather than titles. My work is about rewiring how humans connect and create together, building the relational infrastructure that lets expertise and influence flow to where impact happens.”

“This is very positive way to collaborate.”

Jared Paul Nerwich

Managing Partner @Business Incubator & Advisory Services / The Virtual Boardroom SA

“A Network of Collaborative Organizations continually striving to generate Business Amongst the Network Participants putting people first and continually striving for Growth in and amongst the Network.”

“AI is here whether we want it or now. It’s up to all of us to be intentional about where to adopt and where to set boundaries.”

Joe Todaro

CEO / Consultant @Onion Duty Enterprises

“An adaptable and scalable model for the emerging economic and industrial landscape.”

“Progress rarely follows org charts, it flows through trusted relationships, informal networks, and people who enable others to move faster. This manifesto puts language to that reality and advocates for using data and systems to support, not control. It’s a grounded vision I share and one I’m building toward.”

Grant ‘Upbeat’ Bosnick, CSP

YES (Your Empowering Solutions) @Managing Director, Award-Winning Author and International Keynote Speaker

“To me, a Network-First Future of Work beats to a rhythm where collaboration and connection echo louder than command.”

“Idea: In a world full of AI (Artificial Intelligence), those with EI (Emotional Intelligence) shall thrive.”

Peter Pepe Papp

Founding Partner @Flow International

“The only thing woth collecting is mutually beneficial personal connections.”

“Since I discovered the concept of network analysis, I’ve been obsessed with spreading awareness about network-first organizations. The idea that companies can thrive under a network-first model should gain wider acceptance in the coming years.”

Eugene Peh

Director @AsiaWorld Group

“Building relationships and trust, driving meaning innovations to solve complex challenges.”

“The world is increasingly volatile. Businesses need to adapt or die. That means groups of people need to regularly change how they work. What’s the best way to foster that periodic and targeted change? By harnessing the collective energy and enthusiasm of those groups people. How? Through network influencer identification, activation, and measurement. I’m excited to learn more about how this vision is coming to life.”

Patrick Westgate

Proprietor @Patrick Westgate Consulting

“Technology still is — and always will be — driven by people (it didn’t invent itself!).”

“Being at the forefront to revolutionize the future of work and collaborate with other thoughts leaders on how to best transform in this new era is critically important to how I grow and adapt my expertise.”

Daniel Brixius

Director Communications @RKW SE

“We’re moving from managing people to building, integrating, and enabling networks. Ecosystems where connection, ideas, and ownership flow freely. The real shift isn’t digital — it’s relational”

“My vision, what I do in Leadership is related and based on my theory “Leadership Black Swans” – Emotional leaders, People centered and focused, genuinely, humanized, cared… good Character (I usually say that if You’re not a good person, good character, You can be many things but You’ll never be a – good – leader)!”

Daniel Gomez Seidel

Founder and managing director @inplural

“We’re moving from managing people to building, integrating, and enabling networks. Ecosystems where connection, ideas, and ownership flow freely. The real shift isn’t digital — it’s relational.”

“Speak friend and enter.”

Ruxandra Bosilca

Board Director, Sponsorships & Partnerships @IABC EMENA

“We’re moving from managing people to building, integrating, and enabling networks. Ecosystems where connection, ideas, and ownership flow freely. The real shift isn’t digital — it’s relational.”

“The demise of personal contact has been predicted many times in the past. As our world digitized with ‘social’ media, remote working, metaverse… in contrast to expectations, the importance of authentic human contact has only increased. Meanwhile we did became more individualized. People have been looking to find their own place in the world, to define their own identity and to build their own story. This created a more colourful world indeed. But in doing so we have unlearned the skill of connecting with strangers. We remain social beings at our core. A ‘lonely-scroll-night’ can not replace the authentic chat with a friend or neighbour. A talk with a re-affirming AI-chatbot will make you feel ‘right’ for an evening, but alone and angry in the long run. Anonymous gaming and chatting will make you feel included, until you log out. Now is the time to help people reconnect with a larger ‘we’. To be part of a larger community, to feel relevant, to be meaningful to others. It is in those network of people were we build great things together. That is why we support the Network-First Manifesto Initiative.”

Daniel Ionut Alexa

General Manager @Safety & Health Consulting

“A future of work centered on a networked environment emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and adaptability through interconnected systems and digital transformation.”

“I believe that collaboration within a networked structure with distributed governance enhances talent density and drives exponential impact on results.”

Grant Symons

Founder @THQ.NZ

“Let’s put AI to work in service of human flourishing.”

“In the Network-First Future of Work, your greatest competitive edge isn’t what you know or even how fast you can learn, it’s how deeply you can connect. Trust will be the new currency, and those who can build networks of genuine relationships will shape not only their careers but the future of how we work together in the AI era.”

Isabel Iglesias

Director @Sirania

“A network -first future of work is a way where people share ideas and knowledge without any kind of boundaries.”

“I believe in making space for new insights by questioning what we think we know and staying open to other perspectives. The way we see the world shapes our actions, and it’s in that awareness that real progress begins.”

Maria Antunes

MD @MJA, Consulting

“Raise awareness among leaders that it is fundamental to implement what we already know that truly impacts results and people.”

“Creating a better world through Connection, Trust, and Transparency.”

Juan Carlos Ruz Morales

Sourcing Team Lead @LuxExperience

“AI is an amazing technology with a double edge – it is already pushing our boundaries but it’s also transforming some business models taking a dehumanizing and isolating, short-sighted approach. I believe we should harness this technology with conscience and respect, further enhancing our human networks and collaborations instead of replacing them with AI-powered tools.”

“A network-first future of work is built on the strength of our connections. It’s where relationships, not résumés, open the door to opportunity and growth.”

Teresita Serrano

Dean @Latam Business School

“In the AI era, organizational transformation isn’t just about adopting new technologies—it’s about reimagining how human connections drive business value. As HR professionals, we must reinvent ourselves to become architects of organizational networks, where trust, collaboration, and informal relationships become our most powerful strategic assets. The Network-First Future of Work excites me because it recognizes what I’ve witnessed in 25+ years of HR leadership: the magic happens not in hierarchical structures, but in the invisible threads that connect talent across boundaries. From our work at Latam Business School, developing leaders across 30 countries, I’ve seen how network-driven approaches unlock exponential value—transforming isolated professionals into connected ecosystems of innovation. This is our moment to lead Latin America into a future where organizational networks don’t just support business—they become the competitive advantage that makes our region a global powerhouse of human-centered transformation.”

“Everyone is a star brilliant as they are. They are also a part of a constellation guiding others.”

Pooja Mishra

Founder- Director @Ambodhi Elevate

“Nothing ever replaces a human mind, nothing ever strengthens like human connect!”

“Leadership isn’t about IQ or EQ anymore, it’s about WeQ. I coach the system, not the symptoms, because real change lives between us.”

Cinthia Sarmiento Figueroa

Gerente de calidad y operaciones @Hospital Polar

“Para mi el futuro del trabajo es conectar con el proposito de cada individuo, esto vuelve el trabajo dignifica, le da significado.”

“Leadership in a Network-First world is no longer about standing tallest. It’s about enriching the soil so others can thrive beside you.”

Matthew Mottola

CEO @Human Cloud

“The promise of technology has always been democratizing, decentralizing, and unlocking access to opportunity. But if we’re being honest creating new work norms and processes is extremely difficult, and might never happen if we expect it to be top down adopted. Which is why I’m excited to see this group, since it seems to be an opportunity to drive a bottoms up change in how we build companies, teams, and careers.”

“When machines take on more of what we once prized as intelligence, we’re asked to redefine our value- not as output, but as contribution to each other. In a network-first future, relationships and shared thinking aren’t soft skills. They’re the strategy.”

Amy Dildine

Senior People Analytics Analyst @VNS Health

“I would like to use people data to reveal patterns impacting new employee retention & engagement with a focus on managers, onboarding buddies, informal leaders and company culture.”

“People are individuals within a context of others, where they collaborate, share experiences, and bring each other to emergence—creating something greater than any one person could achieve alone. Our mission is for leaders to learn to recognize this collaborative intelligence, unlock its potential, and sustainably continue innovating and transforming, driven by people acting as one large brain, activated through their social interactions.”

Jodi Starkman

Executive Director @Innovation Resource Center for Human Resources

“Building a network-first future of work will require a holistic transformation that includes culture, technology, organization design, and leadership. But I believe it starts with a fundamental shift in mindset from traditional, hierarchical models to a more agile, decentralized, and human-centered approach. The goal is to create a flexible, interconnected, and psychologically safe environment that empowers individuals and teams to collaborate and thrive.”

“A cyclical way of working in which people with aligned goals and passions connect in real time across locations and titles, forming and dissolving project teams around each challenge. Corporate structures will gradually shift from pyramid charts to flatter networks, where each node can link freely with any other, creating fluid, self-organizing constellations.”

Nina Hirota

Founder & Chief Talent Officer @Global Synergy Partner Solutions

“Building a network-first future of work will require a holistic transformation that includes culture, technology, organization design, and leadership. But I believe it starts with a fundamental shift in mindset from traditional, hierarchical models to a more agile, decentralized, and human-centered approach. The goal is to create a flexible, interconnected, and psychologically safe environment that empowers individuals and teams to collaborate and thrive.”

Nina Hirota

Principal @Pragmatic innovation Partners LLC

“A network first future of work is one where companies will achieve the progressive visions they seek which are now bogged down in worn approaches to implementing change, and where all employees can participate and contribute their ideas.”

Jessica Sobrino

Mexico people lead @The Wild Foods

“Network-first future of work it’s like a community that talks about tendencies, data and knowledge that prepares professionals for the future of the organizations, hopefully it would be be about people tendencies.”

Vinicius Buso

Partner @Connect_in

“The Network-First Future of Work represents a major shift in the way we understand and analyze organizations. It’s a necessary leap in a world where work and organizations need to be much more flexible, horizontal, and agile. This initiative is a major boost to connecting people who work and think to design better organizations every day.”

Balázs Keszthelyi – Keszi

OD developer @Flow Consulting – Flow International

“I honestly don’t see any alternative! What you describe in the manifesto is calling to me dear and deep.”

Deacon Larry Hiner, PsyD

Org Culture Mentor

“It means #intentionalculture that promotes the #intentionallearningorganization”

Ryan Phillips

Principal Data Scientist @MatterMore

“I’ve heard People Analytics described as “”turning the lights on in a very dark room”” (credit 🏴‍☠️Bill Yost). I’ve seen companies living in this dark room because they don’t have visibility into their networks. When you can’t see it, you can’t react accordingly. Mistakes are being made, and they don’t even know it. Precious connections are disrupted needlessly.
Valuable contributors go unacknowledged. All of this can be changed with some focused analysis and intention, using data you already have. We are thrilled to sign onto the Network First Manifesto.
Let’s shine some light.”

Fabio Fedel

Managing Director @People Yield srl

“Productivity does not come only from individual effort, but from how each contribution fits into the team’s play: making this network of relationships visible and understood lays the foundation for growth that combines results with shared well-being.”

Brenna Barrett

“People are everything. In any workplace, relationships are essential. I sought out and connected with this group through networking — because in the business world, networking can make or break you, and the most successful organizations make it a priority.”

Pierre Hemeryck

Founder @Naexia.com

“Network management will be the leadership 4.0.”

Joyce Kyeyune

Principal / Managing Director @ICT Creatives

“An AI-led future is only as relevant as the depth of social connections that reveal the problems that AI needs to solve.”

Cristóbal Rodríguez Fraile

CEO @HRscout

“I believe that managing people without considering their relational dimension within the company is almost impossible. Companies are environments of collaboration and relationships. Is essential to understand this complex world of relationships in order to manage and optimize our human capital.”

Tyler Carey

Founder and Principal @Trellis Leadership Services

“A network-first future is one where organizations are fluent in the language of connection and in-person collaboration. We know what work is best done in-person, when to bring people together, and when we drive work asynchronously.”

Iñigo Sanchez-Cabezudo

CEO & Founder @Iñigo Learning

“AI without HI will take us nowhere. We need to humanize AI and ethically manage its advancements for the good of human kind.”

Victor Bilgen

Founder & Principal @BridgeLayer Analytics

“Companies design their organizations to work one way, but in reality they never do, especially as technologies continue to evolve. Creating a shared understanding of networked truth will be a huge differentiator for the workplace.”

Denise Barbezani

Director @Denise Barbezani Consulting

“A Network-First Future of Work means designing relationships with the same care we design strategies — where trust, knowledge, and collaboration flow beyond formal structures. It’s the shift from “Who reports to whom?” to “Who learns and builds with whom?” When networks become the operating system, resilience and innovation stop being isolated events and start becoming everyday practice.”

Rachel Cannon

CEO/Founder @Vitality Source LLC

“The future of work requires that we not only strengthen social capital within existing networks, but that we create new connections between networks. AI can only be as good as the understanding of the world we operate from, and the questions that we ask. Deepening and broadening the perspectives within our networks elevates both, and is something that AI cannot replace. As a business leader deeply involved in connecting the most vulnerable to our social capital networks, I know that our existing networks are often missing essential voices and knowledge from those who are most vulnerable.”

Amy Anand

Sr Scale GBB – AI Workforce @Microsoft

“In an AI-driven world, our strongest advantage will be the people who can connect ideas, hearts, and code.”

Ivana Petreska

Postgraduate Researcher @George Brown College

“If AI is the engine, ethics is the steering & the network decides where to go”

“Related to a Network-First Future of work, I can say that for almost two decades I’ve been living in the future. When I hear apparently bright and top positioned leaders and advisors saying supply or value **chain**, I cannot but frown and think that their mindset clocks are set in the 20th century and that they need upskilling ASAP.”

Boris Genzer, Ph.D

Sr. Manager Talent Science @Marriott

“When people truly work together, it becomes a culture strong enough to carry us through any chaos.”

“A space to promote and be an active part of changes that favor professional communities.”

Conrado Dominguez Trujillo

Puesto Singularizado @Servicio Canario de la Salud

“El futuro del trabajo en red no consiste en sumar conexiones, sino en multiplicar confianza, conocimiento compartido y propósito común. Solo así la innovación se convierte en valor real para las personas y para la sociedad.”

“For me, a Network-First Future of Work means knowing that the people you’re connected with matter more than the seat you hold. It’s about leaning on relationships, sharing ideas openly, and building things together that none of us could do alone.”

Laszlo Szabo

Advisor @Lakatos, Koves and Partners Law Firm

“Being a lateral thinker I like to combine different fields (tech, finance, legal, advisory, philisophy) and networks (above the previous ones, gestalt, coaching, silver econ locally and globally).”

“Juntos somos más fuertes para florecer juntos a través del tiempo.”

Simon Fowler

Owner @ReStroma Consulting

“Healthy and appropriate relationships are the fundamental unit of human flourishing. “Relationships” include relationships of relationships. “Healthy” must be described and agreed upon by all parties. “Appropriate” means not all relationships are necessarily good for the purpose or for third parties (and their relationships). We, individually and our bonded relationships, are inevitably connected to others at different levels of significance and degrees of proximity. These connections are shown in ‘networks’. Understanding the nature of these networks and our place in them is critical for human flourishing.”

“I like seeing like-minded people and contribute my research work to see the best scenario of the Future of Work coming to life.”

Buck Bradberry

Owner @ReStroma Consulting

“Healthy and appropriate relationships are the fundamental unit of human flourishing. “Relationships” include relationships of relationships. “Healthy” must be described and agreed upon by all parties. “Appropriate” means not all relationships are necessarily good for the purpose or for third parties (and their relationships). We, individually and our bonded relationships, are inevitably connected to others at different levels of significance and degrees of proximity. These connections are shown in ‘networks’. Understanding the nature of these networks and our place in them is critical for human flourishing.”

“In a world where AI will democratize knowledge and skills, a network-first environment will help excellent individuals thriving and getting their best.”

Belén del Campo

People Analytics @ABB

“Change in three parts: Head, Hands, Heart. In other words <Think, Share, Connect >”

“How to remain humane towards humans is the biggest challenge, and the future of work will need to focus on this singular objective.”

Iván Paskuj

Partner @Flow Consulting

“I believe that as human beings, it is important for us to work to create value. I would like to do this in a dignified, uplifting and happy way.”

“The idea of connections before hierarchies underpinned by collaboration, trust, and shared knowledge has the potential to shape success more than titles.”

John McGonigle

Entrepreneur

“If you can, help others. If you cannot, at least do no harm.”

“Network-First’s focus on social capital and network fluency complements AVIXA’s commitment to empowering professionals through community, learning, and experiences.”

Armando Falcão

Assessor @Dataprev

“It is composed of a network increasingly close to a distributed design, made up of human and agentic agents.”

Graham Hall

Principal Consultant @Rhythm Strategic Consulting

“When people are afforded the opportunities to continually care about the work in front of them, develop the emotional intimacy desired with those around them, all the things we tend to care about in organizations (performance, productivity, engagement, bottom lines) tend to take care of themselves. We need a networked and cross-functional approach, we are all deeply yearning for it.”

Andrea Hiott

Philosopher, cognitive scientist, science communicator @Making Ways Love and Philosophy

“Way-making with kaleidoscopic cognitions: it takes two to know one.”

Gustavo Adolfo Astua-Monge

Founder & CEO @AgriTechPDI

“The Future organization flourishes as an agile, skills-based network, transcending hierarchy to empower every individual as an adaptive, curious, and data-driven entrepreneur through continuous experimentation.”

Jenny Bates Heaton

Philosopher, cognitive scientist, science communicator @Making Ways Love and Philosophy

“There’s an invisible thread that ties us together, and no matter where life takes us, it remains unbroken.”

Rhiannon Gallagher

Business Psychologist @Team Weaving

“Collaborative entrepreneurship where people thrive and technology assists.”

Bill Dunnington

CEO @Dunnington Consulting

“People first hearts, AI smarts.”

Brian Gorman

Maverick Coach @TransformingLives.Coach

“Network-first is a catalyst for addressing the failings of the hierarchy, for re-engaging the workforce, and for recognizing that nobody is smarter than everybody. AI is intelligent; people are wise.”

Brandon Houston

Head of Coaching @Heartwood Collective

“The human biology is specifically designed for collaborative work, we are built to collaborate. At the heartwood collective we strive to remember the practices that allow for collaborative sense-making and shared generative action. We believe teams ability to stay together through tension allows for the emergent solutions our world desperately needs now.”

Laura Gramling

President @EnSpark Consulting

“All great achievements are done in collaboration with others.”

Tahira Allapitchay

Innovation & Product Specialist @Ollins

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants (by Isaac Newton)”

Andrew George

LMS Consultant @Endodiagnosis

“A Network-First Future of Work, to me, means creating an environment where people are connected not by hierarchy, but by purpose. It’s about valuing relationships, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across boundaries.”

Mike Buccialia

Founder @Mindworx

“Work and society are over reliant on digital connections. With content and communication overload we are going to seek out a network of trusted individuals who are supportive and like minded. This Network-First concept will become the default standard for those seeking connections over consumerism.)”

Juselly French

Sr. Organization Design & Effectiveness Consultant @USAA

“I dream of a future where work has collective meaning, elevates the human experience and enhances the ability of the company to meet its promise to their customers and stakeholders.”

Gabriela Mitri

Founder @Speakhers

“I believe Social Capital can be a powerful force for good, when its based on value generation and building a better society for all.”

David Coats

Principal @Three-Half Integer

“CEO will be the last job.”

Derek Herwald

Independent Data Scientist and Educator

“Resisting AI isn’t an option—there’s no off switch. What matters is how we decide it will shape our future. As AI serves to take over the potentially objectifying aspects of work, we have to rebuild around what’s irreducibly human: value that’s horizontal, fluid, and collaborative. Human worth isn’t hierarchical—it shows up in creativity, trust, and collective potential.”

Berenice Roch

Executive Director Recruitment and Talent @Viking Cruises

“Connection unlocks growth. When we cross boundaries to ask, learn, and share, new paths open for people and for the business. I enable to make these connections. Success is achieved when learning becomes action.”

Muhammed Imran Ghani

Management Consultant @SGS Maine Pointe

“A Network-First Future of Work means moving beyond hierarchies to create ecosystems where knowledge, collaboration, and opportunities flow freely, empowering people to co-create, learn, and thrive together without boundaries.”

Patricia Gallardo

Business Advisor @Insperity

“AI may change how we work, but it will never replace the power of human connection.”

Larry Yi

Director of Financial Analytics @Car Capital Technologies

“Interaction with people will spark new ideas.”

Melissa Musgrave

Founder @Melissa Musgrave People Collective

“An opportunity to collaborate on innovative programs shaping the future of work and disrupting the status quo.”

Angel Rodríguez

Data Solutions Business Manager @Aon

“A network-first environment doesn’t just reveal how people connect, it shows where value is truly created. By linking collaboration patterns with compensation data, HR and Rewards leaders can design fairer, smarter strategies that recognize influence, innovation, and impact beyond the org chart.”

Rhea Ong Yiu

Organizational Strategist. Executive Coach

“In a future of fluid network and decentralized organizations. a network first approach is a gamechanger is shaping the future of work.”

Hale Schneider

Founder @Hale Schneider

“Network-First Future of Work means collaboration in completely different spheres, the end of silos and boxed-in thinking.”

Carla Zaldua

CEO @Motional Hub

“Wellbeing at Work: Once Grounded in Security, Now Powered by Connection and Flexibility.”

Krisztina Solymosi

OrgDev and Training Department Head @Hungarian Police

“I have two of such quotes (these reflect our development philosophy):

“Leadership in the future of work is less about control and more about enabling networks of people to co-create, support, and inspire each other.”

“Workplaces of the future thrive not on structures, but on the invisible bonds of communities.””

Antonio Macias Molla

CEO and Founder @MaciasMolla

“In a world where speed is the norm, strong and healthy connections are the true competitive advantage. To achieve this, we need to understand the power dynamics that shape relationships within organizations.”

Roberto Guardia

Chief Commercial Officer @Reformador Craft Drinks

“A Network-First Future of Work is one where human connection becomes the true currency of progress, unlocking possibilities greater than any individual could imagine.”

Francisco Vila-Iturra

Partner @V!LA Consultores

“The Network-First Future of Work initiative aligns with my belief that understanding organizational dynamics is key to strategic success in the modern workplace. Furthermore, I recognize that people primarily drive value through their relationships, rather than strict adherence to hierarchies and organizational boundaries. I am eager to learn how this initiative will leverage these principles and deepen our understanding of the dynamic forces within organizations.”

Katharine Halpin

Founder and CEO @The Halpin Companies Inc

“I’m honored to be a founding member getting to help create the workplace of the future.”

Diego Luque

CEO @Anagram

“In the Network-First Future of Work, AI may accelerate tasks, but only human connection accelerates trust. Social capital — not just skill — will be the true differentiator”

Gustavo Echevarría

People and Culture Manager @Grupo Unicco

“True transformation begins when organizations stop managing employees and start empowering human beings. Every relationship built on trust becomes a catalyst for growth.”

Manuel Yanez

COO @Babel Digital

“The real networks, not the org chart, are the operating system of work. AI helps us see and lighten the load; our humanity reminds us why.”

Imad Kaddoura

Managing Director @Nexsolve Consultancy

“Building Sustainable Capacity for Empowering Organizations & Elevating Talent‎.”

Claire Selwood

HR Transformation & Turnaround Consultant @Thryve Strategies FZCO

“Every organization, team, and department is unique and therefore so must be the solution.”

Daniel Dickson-Hope

Chief People Officer @Cavalry Group

“Network-First is a mindset, structure, and operating model that gives priority to networks over rigid hierarchies. It emphasizes relationships, connection, influence, trust, informal and formal connections, adaptability, collaboration, and shared purpose.”

Melania Rodríguez

Human Resources

“In a new work environment where AI replaces the old way of working, it is necessary to recall and maintain human interactions.”

Leonardo Baez

Alorica

“It’s about empowering people through connectivity, ensuring that every individual, no matter where they are, has the same access, protection, and opportunity to contribute meaningfully.”

Silvia Fierascu

Head of OrgMapper Academy @Maven7 Solutions

“A Network-First Future of Work acknowledges that the best performing, most resilient and innovative systems, human or organizational, are networks where trust, care, and collaboration thrive. Our collective potential grows when we start nurturing real connection at work.”

Jen Stine

Managing Director @Mint Chip Studios

“Cooperation is humanity’s superpower.” Ezra Klein (NYT 2/25/21)

“We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis which is both social & environmental.” Pope Francis

Julia Urbanchuk

Founder @Star Pattern Consulting

“That we truly see each other as humans through our human connections that have the power to lift all of us up, with technology supporting us to be our best. When we do that, we create the conditions for collaboration, innovation, and a sustainable future for everyone.”

Daniel Lieberman

Founder & CEO @Valuable Leadership

“AI × Humanity = Speed with Stewardship.”

Sean Xiao

Partner @TeamPlus Solutions

“Stay connected and augmented.”

Iris Lopez

Human Resources Director @DECA Analytics

“A Network-First Future of Work redefines success as collective progress. It’s about building ecosystems of trust, where inclusion and fairness are not ideals but operational truths. In this interconnected world, wellbeing and growth flow through collaboration, ensuring that every generation can thrive, contribute, and elevate others.”

Ted Delicath

Senior Advisor @Unite America

“Networks + complexity + tech acceleration = Oh shit, we should change our mechanistic mindset.”

Josue Calvo

Founder @Calvo & Co, Projects

“In my opinion, a Network-First Future of Work will connects us as global nodes—where ideas flow freely, skills amplify through collaboration, turning isolation into infinite world of opportunities.”

Ramy Ibrahim, SPHRi, PAC

HR & People Analytics Consultancy @Ramy Ibrahim Consultancy

“People Analytics is the core of HR Management.”

Sayed Kassem

Head of People Strategy & Organization Development @SPCC

“By changing nothing, Nothing changes.”

Jaya Maharajah

HR Advisor

“It means being connected we can cut out all the nonsense and empower, be agile and execute. After all isn’t an organization really a living ecosystem of connections??”

Chinmaya Lovekar

HR architect @QualityFilter consulting

“HR must move beyond the illusion of impact created by simply listening to problems. True transformation lies in deeply understanding people’s perspectives, identifying pain points, and designing systemic, data-informed solutions like Organizational Network Analysis that truly support them. Let’s reimagine work around authentic human connection, collaboration, and shared purpose.”

Laura Hounsome

Founder & Director @Authenitculture Ltd

“As AI reshapes how we work, it’s our humanity that must redefine why we work. The future won’t belong to the most efficient, but to the most connected — those who lead with trust, empathy, and authenticity.”

Bethany Woodard

Founder @Pharos Society

“The future thrives on conscious leadership.”

Dmitri Sunshine

Founder & CEO @Matchkeyz

“When you’re at your lowest point, community can be the saving grace that gives you the strength to persevere!”

Phil Abernathy

Founder – Director @Purple Candor

“Collaborative problem solving is a team skill and an individual sport.”

LauraLynn Jansen

Leadership Development Coach & Consultant @LLJansen & Kengen

“Being human… is about being in relationship. It’s about engaging with. It’s about how our presence, mindset, and even micro-choices shape trust, connection, and the experience of being authenticity in community with others.”

Diakite Alexandra

Founder and Principal Advisor @Effective Horizons

“Augmenting current AI centered word with the value of Human to Human network interaction.”

Hilton Barbour

Founder @Marketing Provocateur

“Humans connected by shared purpose, passion, energy and expertise can achieve anything. As the world seems more divisive and conflicted, our collective and personal futures depend even more on coming together and connecting with respect and love.”

Alan Hoffmanner

Owner @Agiledge

“As AI, digital automations and other technologies intertwine with human connection and work, there is an opportunity to move towards a more human centric, self-organizing tea structure to get work done but it won’t be easy.”

Mihaela Bureac Plescan

Founder & Talent Advisor & Career Coach @The People Growth Hub

“For me, a Network-First Future of Work means putting people and connections at the heart of how we work and grow together. It’s about moving beyond titles and hierarchies to build trust, collaboration, and shared meaning. I’ve just discovered this perspective at the ONA Summit 2025, and I really resonated with the idea of networks at the organizational level. After meeting Silvia Fierascu and following her work, I’d love to stay connected with professionals who share this vision.”

Khaled Alamri

CEO @People X

“I envision expanding on this foundation by creating a space that intelligently matches individuals based on personal traits, interests, enthusiasm levels, and measurable outcomes.

By integrating this matching framework within the Network-First ecosystem, we could cultivate deeper social capital, accelerate trust formation, and turn abstract collaboration into sustained co-creation. I’d love to explore how this concept could evolve within your decentralized governance platform or as a joint experimental project.”

Dalia Wahba

CEO @CID Consulting

“Social networks are the fundamental for the future of work where technology will turn us into Robots.”

Cihan Fuat Atkin

Founder & CEO @XCINEX

“At its peak AI will have created a world of peace, optimal human health, clean energy, and an abundance of goods/services at basically no cost. Humans can focus purely on personal connections, personal/spiritual growth, artistic development, social impact, communal experiences, nature, hobbies, exploration, etc. We will live longer and more fulfilling lives.”