Harmonic Reciprocity Systems

Harmonic Reciprocity Systems A better way to work together

Time-Networks, ContinuedIn my previous article, titled "Time-Networks", I introduced a new framework for analyzing socia...
04/05/2026

Time-Networks, Continued

In my previous article, titled "Time-Networks", I introduced a new framework for analyzing social networks: time-network analysis. This article extends the concept, providing additional tools for understanding the time-network of an organization. Before diving into the new material, here is a summary of what time-networks are: Time-Network Basics Time spent with others is the fundamental building block of relationships....

In my previous article, titled “Time-Networks”, I introduced a new framework for analyzing social networks: time-network analysis. This article extends the concept, providing additional…

Time-NetworksHow do you measure a year? Simply as "five-hundred-twenty-five-thousand-six-hundred minutes"?1 From the per...
03/10/2026

Time-Networks

How do you measure a year? Simply as "five-hundred-twenty-five-thousand-six-hundred minutes"?1 From the perspective of a clock, sure, a year is just a collection of identical minutes. However, the human experience of time is vastly different. Time, as experienced, is less like a linear arrow and more like a sequence of moments of connection: time spent alone - even in a crowd - seemingly compresses down to a blur, while moments that are shared with others - addressing them as ‘you’ - can feel like “a glimpse through to the eternal”....

How do you measure a year? Simply as “five-hundred-twenty-five-thousand-six-hundred minutes”?1 From the perspective of a clock, sure, a year is just a collection of identical minutes. H…

Social TerrainEach person experiences different social terrain. Some walk on rolling hills, with plenty of paths to take...
01/10/2026

Social Terrain

Each person experiences different social terrain. Some walk on rolling hills, with plenty of paths to take, while others are traversing mountain ridges and deep gullies, following single-track trails. Unlike physical terrain, social terrain is subjective and actively shaped: it is carved by time spent with other people. A friendship that spans between groups in conflict can blast a notch in the mountain ridge dividing them, and in*******al marriage is a river that cuts straight through; time spent with others softens the grade between social worlds, breaking down prejudices and assumptions....

Each person experiences different social terrain. Some walk on rolling hills, with plenty of paths to take, while others are traversing mountain ridges and deep gullies, following single-track trai…

Polyafficity noun A way of experiencing the world that is characterized by a multiplicity of group-affiliations. // The ...
08/25/2025

Polyafficity noun A way of experiencing the world that is characterized by a multiplicity of group-affiliations. // The university had a culture of polyafficity among its students; it was the norm to be a member of at least two different clubs. // Stable democracies are marked by cross-cutting conflicts, which is only possible with high degrees of polyafficity in the population....

Polyafficity [pɒlɪ əˈfɪsəti] noun A way of experiencing the world that is characterized by a multiplicity of group-affiliations. // The university had a culture of polyafficity among its students; …

Oftentimes when I make a large meal, I put some of it in a reusable container and give it to a neighbor. It is a form of...
08/13/2025

Oftentimes when I make a large meal, I put some of it in a reusable container and give it to a neighbor. It is a form of food storage, because my generosity is usually reciprocated in the form of free food at a later date. And as an added bonus, both my neighbor and I get to try different foods. This is a form of reciprocity....

Oftentimes when I make a large meal, I put some of it in a reusable container and give it to a neighbor. It is a form of food storage, because my generosity is usually reciprocated in the form of f…

In Adam Grant's book "Give and Take: Why helping others drives our success", he describes a workshop called a "Reciproci...
05/26/2025

In Adam Grant's book "Give and Take: Why helping others drives our success", he describes a workshop called a "Reciprocity Ring", a one-time face-to-face or virtual meeting where each person has the opportunity to bring a request to the table and get help. Originally developed by Wayne Baker, a professor in sociology at University of Michigan, this activity is a simple and intentional way to meet needs and create connections in an organization or community....

In Adam Grant’s book “Give and Take: Why helping others drives our success”, he describes a workshop called a “Reciprocity Ring”, a one-time face-to-face or virtual me…

How well do you know the informal social network in your organization? Studies have found that those who have the most a...
04/06/2025

How well do you know the informal social network in your organization? Studies have found that those who have the most accurate mental model of the social network are likely to be highly influential, because knowing the reality of how people are connected to each other reduces uncertainty and risk in making decisions (Krackhardt, 1992). For example, if you were trying to bring about organizational change, recruiting the most trusted individuals in the network to help facilitate the change would help streamline the transition....

How well do you know the informal social network in your organization? Studies have found that those who have the most accurate mental model of the social network are likely to be highly influentia…

What is creativity? And what makes a creative team? Is it the creativity of individual parts of the brain or individual ...
01/20/2025

What is creativity? And what makes a creative team? Is it the creativity of individual parts of the brain or individual team members? Maybe it’s none of those things. Perhaps, creativity is about creating new things, and that requires the coordination of multiple parts of the brain and of the whole team. Research shows that whether in individuals or teams, creativity has the same basic structure: functional connectivity between diverse parts....

What is creativity? And what makes a creative team? Is it the creativity of individual parts of the brain or individual team members? Maybe it’s none of those things. Perhaps, creativity is about c…

Five myths that may be holding you and your team back
11/20/2024

Five myths that may be holding you and your team back

What if I told you that many of the things you tell yourself, the assumptions you hold about who you are and how the world works, were fundamentally inaccurate, and may be holding you and your busi…

You have probably heard the phrase “paradigm shift” used to describe every new technology imaginable, from AI to electri...
11/07/2024

You have probably heard the phrase “paradigm shift” used to describe every new technology imaginable, from AI to electric cars to “k-cup” coffee machines. But what exactly is a “paradigm shift”? The prolific buzzword, popularized in the 1960s by Thomas Kuhn’s book “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”, is defined as a widely agreed-upon example upon which science operates from (Kuhn, 1997)....

You have probably heard the phrase “paradigm shift” used to describe every new technology imaginable, from AI to electric cars to “k-cup” coffee machines. But what exactly is a “paradigm shift”? Th…

We all talk about the benefits of diversity in the workplace, but what about the benefits of reciprocity? Reciprocity, t...
07/11/2024

We all talk about the benefits of diversity in the workplace, but what about the benefits of reciprocity? Reciprocity, the back-and-forth exchange of favors over time, is a mutually beneficial practice that can help your business thrive, and at Harmonic Reciprocity Systems, we believe that understanding and incentivizing reciprocity could transform your workplace. So, what does reciprocity in the workplace look like?...

We all talk about the benefits of diversity in the workplace, but what about the benefits of reciprocity? Reciprocity, the back-and-forth exchange of favors over time, is a mutually beneficial prac…

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