It is well understood that one learns much of what one knows through one's network of relationships and through shared discussion and activity. A logical extension of this idea is the growing prominence in the UK where formal school-to-school networking such as Education Action Zones and Excellence in Cities has been established. This article discusses the National College of School Leadership's (NCSL) Networked Learning Communities (NLC), a research and development program and one of the largest networking initiatives. Interviews conducted with nineteen network activists (from twelve networks) that played a key role in the initiation and development of their networks describe the strategies (and failed strategies) of creating these learning communities. (Contains 2 figures.)