Becoming an agent of change Class 4 Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Lessons learned We talked about exercising leadership without authority.. We also discussed the “adaptive work” that comes with leadership. 1. Getting people pay attention to the problem. (Not giving the answer right away.) 2. Making other people do the “change work”. (This can make them uncomfortable.) 3. Help people adapt to new realities and help them do this works. 4. To understand the change process, alternate between the balcony and the dance floor. We also did an exercise some of the adaptive work that may be relevant in your change effort. Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Challenges 2. Securing legitimacy & support Framing Persuasion Negotiation Political mobilization Orchestrating conflict Brokering coalitions “Calling a public into existence” (Dewey) Authorizing environment Value Capacities Harvard Exentension School 2016

CASE Housing the Homeless Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Case: Housing the Homeless This session’s sections: Problem (triangle) Strategic approach Impact Managing meaning Harvard Exentension School 2016

Defining and Redefing Problems: Ingredients Case: Housing the Homeless Defining and Redefing Problems: Ingredients Numbers Using Facts and Figures Interests Using Stakeholders Perceptions and Motivations Symbols Using Words, Metaphors, Stories (Visuals) Causes Using Logic: Causes > Consequences > Responsibilities Decisions Using Dilemma’s, Alternatives, Choices Harvard Exentension School 2016

Numbers: Nola’s City Jail Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Symbols: words http://unitygno.org/blog/ Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Symbols: visuals (The New York Times, 2008, pic) Harvard Exentension School 2016

Defining and Redefing Problems Case: Housing the Homeless Defining and Redefing Problems Numbers Using Facts and Figures Interests Using Stakeholders Perceptions and Motivations Symbols Using Words, Metaphors, Stories Causes Using Logic: Causes > Consequences > Responsibilities Decisions Using Dilemma’s, Alternatives, Choices Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Case: Housing the Homeless Tactics by innovators Re-defining Introducing a new perspective on a problem Adopting a definition Tapping into an established definition that has already been accepted and used by stakeholders, thus evoking a meaning which is already recognized Partially redefining Altering perceptions without a sharp break from the stakeholder’s previous view (values and beliefs), while continuing to reason with the existing frame of reference Other?  Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Case: Housing the Homeless Meanings do not exclude each other; a change effort can convey both meanings at the same time. There is “a richness and multiplicity of meanings that can be superimposed on a situation” (Weick) There is no such thing as one fixed meaning of a change effort/ innovation; stakeholders may each make sense of a project’s value in their own way Statement: a change maker needs to manage the process of sense making: she/he needs to guide stakeholders towards a favorable interpretation (and course of action) by structuring the conversation. Harvard Exentension School 2016

But what is the right definition? Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Case: Housing the Homeless Managing meaning Are you aware of the potential “meanings” of your facts? How far are you willing to go to manipulate perceptions? Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Case: Housing the Homeless Now in New Orleans… http://unitygno.org/blog/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0gC77167jw Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Exercise: Redefining your problem Assignment in pairs with someone who already knows your challenge Come up with at least 4 different problem definitions Identify 2 implications for each problem definition with regard to: - main stakeholders - vocabulary (language) that comes with this problem definition (including some key terms 10 minutes preparation 8 (2x4 min) minutes discussion to help each other (to fill in the gaps) Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Take away’s Week 1 We discussed the concept of ‘strategic triangle’ (public value theory, HKS) & applied it to the case of The Librarian, as well as to our own change challenges. This way, we worked with a framework that can guide our thinking: the triangle can help us analyze the context in which we are working, serve as a compass to focus our attention and help identify the challenges that lay ahead. It also offers us a common language in how to speak about change. Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Take away’s Week 1 We also got acquainted with the theory of adaptive leadership (Heifetz, HKS). Based on this theory we made a distinction between adaptive and technical problems. Adaptive challenge: 1. Getting people pay attention to/care for the problem. Making them do the “change work”. Help them adapt to new realities and help them do this works. Etc. We also identified some of the adaptive work that is relevant in your change effort. Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Take away’s Week 1 We also explored the concept of ‘managing meaning’. To understand how meaning can be managed we discussed ingredients that can help you (re)define a problem. Defining a problem in multiple ways helps you Think through the meanings of the facts Become flexible and able to see, and perhaps take up, the perspective of some of your stakeholders Discover new values Avoid a common mistake (‘people see it the way I see it’) Make a conscious choice for one (or more) problem definition(s) based on a set of criteria Harvard Exentension School 2016

Harvard Exentension School 2016 Take away’s Week 1 Conclusions re the learning process So we started with change challenges with very similar scopes and depths, with dissimilar focuses and analyses. We now have learned to speak in a common language about change We can now easily move from the abstract to the concrete levels. We established a productive learning environment. Harvard Exentension School 2016