This reading recommendation is part of the The RAMPALLO’s Compass campaign by RAMPALLO CONSULTING.

Category: Organizational Talent

It was an important moment in my professional life. The CEO of the company I was working for informed me that they had organized a campaign to request internal improvements from specific departments. They had gathered a list of about eighty proposals from different areas—technical, production, financial, procurement… It was my first day in the new position. He placed the list on the table in front of me and said: “Solve them.” 

I read through the list. I even considered tackling them one by one. I hesitated, wondering if that was the best approach. I sought advice from an expert friend, and he recommended reading «The Connected Company» by Dave Gray. After reading it and evaluating the overall situation of what I had been assigned, I understood that the easiest thing would have been to see the list as just a simple list. Reading The Connected Company made me realize that the key was something else. We created a platform so that anyone in the Company could submit improvement proposals and, through a specific method we designed for that company, they could be solved in a novel and, above all, effective way.

“The Connected Company” is a groundbreaking work that challenges traditional organizational structures, proposing a more fluid and adaptable model for modern companies. The book advocates transforming organizations into “networks” where information and knowledge flow freely, and decision-making is distributed rather than centralized.

I will focus this article primarily on HR professionals and managers. Therefore, the premise above implies a radical shift in how we conceive talent, collaboration, and company culture, moving from a hierarchical approach to a more organic and interconnected one.

p.9. From the beginning of the book, Gray makes it clear what the leverage of any organization is when he states: “..[Customers] have always had the power to promote – or demote- a company based on what it promised and what it delivered. Customers have always been able to vote with their wallets…”

p.58. “The company must make a tradeoff between talking and doing, between coordinating and executing.”

In a five-part structure, Gray:

1. Starts by explaining the “Why” behind the need for change, based on the relationship with clients.
2. Continues by explaining what a connected company is.
3. Next, elaborates on how a connected company can function: by learning and adapting.
4. Chapter four is about how to lead a connected company.
5. And the final chapter is dedicated to explaining the path or roadmap that can be used to become a Connected Company.

Nodes, Links, and Workflow

Gray emphasizes the importance of “nodes” and “links” within the organization. Nodes are individuals, teams, or departments, while links are the relationships and communication channels that connect them. An effective system of nodes and links allows for greater responsiveness to market changes and better adaptation to customer needs. From an HR perspective, this translates into the need to foster the creation of internal networks, break down departmental silos, and design structures that facilitate spontaneous interaction and multidisciplinary collaboration, all crucial aspects for organizational agility.

p.180. The author focuses mainly on the creation of platforms, which will support the networks, teams, and people working on them. And he defines them as follows: “platforms are the company’s long-term memory, where knowledge and experience is stored and hard-coded into habits, routines, and autonomic functions.”

Another pillar of the book is the concept of “workflow” as a dynamic process rather than a series of static tasks. Gray argues that connected companies optimize this flow by eliminating bottlenecks and empowering teams to self-manage their processes. For managers, this means delegating authority and trusting the ability of teams to innovate and solve problems. From an HR standpoint, it implies a focus on developing self-management skills, promoting decentralized decision-making, and creating frameworks that allow teams to experiment and learn continuously.

Culture, Adaptability, and Experimentation

Organizational culture plays a preponderant role in Gray’s vision. A connected company is built on a culture of transparency, trust, and experimentation. This means moving from a control model to an enablement model, where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, not failures, creating a psychologically safe environment for all employees.

p.113. The focus is on becoming a learning organization (–Organización que aprende– is difficult to translate into Spanish), and he explains his vision of it in a striking way.

The book also underlines the relevance of “adaptability.” In a constantly changing business environment, an organization’s ability to adapt quickly is a critical success factor. Gray proposes that connected companies are inherently more adaptable due to their decentralized structure and efficient information flow. For managers, this translates into the need to be flexible in strategic planning and to empower teams to respond agilely to new demands. HR, for its part, must develop training programs that foster resilience and the capacity for change in employees, preparing the workforce for an uncertain future.

Gray emphasizes the importance of “experimentation” as a driver of innovation. Connected companies are not afraid to test new ideas and learn from the results, even if they fail. For leaders, this means creating an environment where experimentation is encouraged and where failures become valuable lessons. For HR teams, this means developing frameworks for managing knowledge derived from experimentation, celebrating learnings, and fostering a “rapid iteration” mindset throughout the organization.

p.214. The author highlights that diversity matters, stating it in a very eloquent phrase: “Creative ideas emerge when different ideas and concepts interact.”

p.235. “Not every idea should be implemented, but every idea should be heard and recognized.”

Measurement and Continuous Improvement

Finally, the author proposes the «measurement» not only of final results, but also of the quality of connections and the flow of information within the company. For managers, this implies the need to establish metrics that reflect the effectiveness of collaboration and the agility of processes, beyond traditional financial indicators. From an HR perspective, this translates into implementing tools and surveys that assess the health of internal networks, the perception of organizational culture, and the impact of connectivity improvement initiatives, enabling strategic adjustments and ensuring that the company moves toward a more connected and efficient model.

Conclusion: It is worth taking the time to read the book. At RAMPALLO CONSULTING, we are excited to share what drives us, what motivates us to keep learning and improving. As a friend of ours says—a phrase we have adopted as a mantra: «we keep learning, we keep moving forward». We invite you to join us on this journey of sharing discovery and growth through reading.

Recommendation made by Jose Ramon Largo (CEO at RAMPALLO Consulting S.L.)