????在超級激烈的競爭環境下，當寶潔公司（Proctor & Gamble）需要一個新領導來帶領公司重新實現增長時，寶潔找到了一個非常熟悉公司的人擔當這一重任，而這個人正是寶潔公司的一名老員工。

????雷福禮前幾年才剛剛離開寶潔，但他回來執掌公司可以說有著得天獨厚的優勢。他一上手就知道應該做什么，而且與公司也有深厚的感情聯系，這都是他的隱性財富。

????許多公司都忽略了一個與他們關系最近、也是最有價值的關系網絡，那就是一張由前任員工、退休員工、甚至包括以前曾和公司打過交道的合伙人和客戶等組成的關系網。這些“老人”既了解行業的動向，又熟悉公司的能力和文化，同時又能帶來公司現有員工還不具備的外部知識和關系。

????但是能把這張關系網利用好的公司并不多。說起這樣的關系網，我們最先想到的就是大學的校友會。但是即使對于大多數大學來說，他們無非也是到了要籌資的時候，或者是到了開招聘會、交流會、就業指導的時候才會想起校友會。一些業內領先的咨詢公司也會維護自己的“老人”網絡，但是很少有公司真的利用它給公司或給老員工們帶來了實際的好處。

????相反，把校友會、聯誼會搞得最有聲有色的卻是來自一些非學術性的研究項目，比如重點關注公共服務的科羅公共事務研究項目（Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs）、關注公共教育的Broad Residency項目，以及致力培養未來科學家的奇點大學（Singularity University）等。這些項目都包含一個正式的培訓課程，而且經常讓參與者擔任一份臨時的工作，同時這些組織也在努力打造一個專門的領域，開發自己的關系網絡，以擴大他們的影響力。這些目標闡釋了一個組織良好的校友會項目成功背后的原因。

????無論是“校友會”也好，企業的“聯誼會”也罷，對于參與者和組織機構來說，它必須要提供價值，才有存在的意義。繼續教育、技能發展、就業介紹、招聘支持、指導或反向指導等等，這些都可以是校友會和聯誼會提供的價值。科羅公共事務研究項目是一個旨在培訓公共事務和非營利工作領域的管理者的項目。它為往期的參與者們提供了一個“校友工具箱”，幫助他們更新自己的技能，或是從其他校友身上學到新的技能。而Broad Residency項目則通過一些校友來提供咨詢服務，為現在的參與者提出辦法和建議，幫助他們解決工作上的困難和職業規劃上的難題。

????在美國的幾座大城市，當地的科羅領導力網絡每個季度都會舉辦演講活動，而Broad Residency項目則與一個年度論壇建立了關系。校友們每年都會參與這個論壇，討論涉及教育的話題。

????如果一個聯誼會項目能鼓勵過去和現在的員工跨越不同組織機構間的“國界”通力合作，它就更有可能取得成功。如果讓老員工們了解到組織面臨的最大的風險和擔憂，則 可能會促進老員工們自行組織起來，成立工作組、甚至公司來解決問題。

????奇點大學的校友組織實行由校友自我管理的模式，而這些校友組織聯系著全球各地的校友（其中約有85%在美國以外的其他國家）。他們在奇點大學的課程只是一個10周的夏季深造項目，但他們從奇點大學畢業后，這些校友組織還會繼續聯絡舉辦各種校友活動。

????對于企業來說，要想讓聯誼會能產生持久的影響，讓它為企業帶來資源、技術和生意的話，也需要花時間來經營。首先，企業可以邀請從企業走出去的老員工來管理聯誼會活動的一些重要環節，比如主持研討會或活動策劃等。科羅全國校友聯合會就有一個30人的理事會，奇點大學在40個國家都有指定的“校友大使”，負責組織本地的活動和聚會。Broad Residency 項目的校友們每年都會對該項目收上來的幾千份簡歷進行審核，而且還會參與到項目的招募環節（約有一半被錄取的項目參與者都是由校友提名的）。此外他們還會幫助這個項目的學校管理人員和負責人等安排會議，甚至在這個兩年制的教育項目中教授一些正式的課程。

????對于很多組織來說，不管校友會、聯誼會的規模和任務是大是小，它們可以說都是這個組織最好、最近的資源網絡。它不僅能為所有參與者提供各種機會，而且還可以令企業更快地學到、培養出新的能力，這正是企業最需要的那種學習模式。但是要鼓勵人們參與這么一個團體，也需要組織付出悉心的努力。（財富中文網）

????譯者：樸成奎

????When Proctor & Gamble (PG) needed a leader to guide the company back to growth in a hyper-competitive environment, it turned to someone who knew the company intimately -- an alumnus.

????Having left the company just a few years before, A.G. Lafley was, like many alumni, uniquely suited to help his former firm. He came into the job with a wealth of tacit knowledge -- the "know how" rooted in experience -- and a deep connection to the organization.

????Many companies overlook one of the most closely connected and valuable networks available to them: ex-employees, retirees, and even former partners and clients who already have experience with the organization. These alumni know the capabilities and the culture of the organization and the industry while also bringing outside expertise and connections that current employees might not have.

????Few companies do this well. Instead, we tend to think of alumni networks in the context of universities. Even among universities, few engage alumni beyond fundraising and, to a lesser extent, recruiting, networking, and career services. Likewise, top consultancies maintain alumni networks, but few do it in a way that delivers real benefits to participants and the firm.

????Some of the best models for alumni engagement come from the non-academic, post-graduate programs focused on public service (Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs), public education (Broad Residency), and technology (Singularity University). These programs include a formal training component and often place participants in temporary job assignments. However, the organizations also focus on shaping a sector and developing a network to amplify their influence. These goals provide a rationale for a structured alumni program.

????An alumni program has to create value, such as continuing education or skills development, job placement and recruiting support, mentoring and reverse mentoring -- for the participants as well as the organization. The Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, which is designed to train leaders in civic and nonprofit work, offers an Alumni Toolbox to help past participants refresh their skills and gain new ones and learn new techniques from other alumni. The Broad Residency uses alumni advisors to guide current fellows both in their on-the-job challenges and in career planning.

????In several major cities, the local Coro Leadership Network hosts quarterly speaker events. The Broad Residency builds on the relationships formed over the two-year fellowship with an annual Forum where alumni come together to participate in discussions on education.

????An alumni program that encourages both past and current employees to work together across organizational boundaries is more likely to succeed. Exposing alumni to the biggest challenges and concerns the organization faces can encourage participants to self-organize -- into working groups or even business ventures.

????The self-directed Singularity University alumni groups keep the school's globally dispersed alumni (approximately 85% from outside the U.S.) engaged and moving forward on their specific initiatives after the 10-week summer program ends.

????For companies, the alumni program that will have the most enduring impact -- a network that the company can turn to for resources, expertise, and partnership -- also requires time to develop. As a first step, companies can invite alumni to manage significant parts of the alumni activities, from moderating discussion boards to planning events. The Coro National Alumni Association has a 30-member board to guide its efforts. Singularity University has appointed alumni "ambassadors" in 40 countries who organize local activities and meet-ups. Alumni of the Broad Residency review the thousands of resumes submitted to the program each year and participate in recruiting (approximately half of accepted residents come from alumni nominations). Broad alumni also help plan meetings for school administrators and superintendents from the program and teach formal sessions at the two-year education program.

????For many organizations, regardless of size or mission, alumni represent the best, closest network of resources. Through a diverse network that creates opportunities for all participants, a company can learn and develop new abilities faster, exactly the type of learning organizations need. But encouraging individuals to participate in such a community requires a deliberate effort.