Networks succeed because all individuals are valued for their contribution at every level. Recognizing that all tasks are important, networks deliberately create a decentralized pattern with many people accountable for the work. A network is not a rigid hierarchy. Power and responsibility are distributed. Networkers are bound by their common need, experience, and goals, whereas bureaucracies depend on rewards and punishments to bind or capture their members.
Networks are lines of communication that people use to get things done.
In opportunity and in crises the word can quickly spread through people powerlines. Just as power and responsibility are decentralized, so is the flow of information. This type of information system is not, however, without its problems, most notably the increased chance of the spread of inaccurate information. A network is not as concerned with the number of people on the mailing list or the number of people at its meeting, as it is concerned with the quality of the mailing and meetings. People as individuals are valued more than the paper they create.