LEADERSHIP: A 360 A PPROACH JOANNE CASHMAN, ED. D ACSSW CONFERENCE January 27, 2015

Think about It… Do you have a ‘sticky’ trait? What one skill or trait has persisted across the years to help you achieve what you have achieved?

As people we know the ‘human side’ is important to gaining our support and sustaining it. Does that understanding carry over to our role as leaders? Not all leaders have titles.

Leading … and Leading by Convening Many want to be more inclusive in their leadership style o There are specific behaviors that advance or are constrain engagement o We can learn to be aware of and change those behaviors o Engagement is a habit that can be cultivated! Leading by Convening: A Blueprint for Authentic Engagement is designed to convey the lessons learned over 15 years Leading by Convening

Convening as a ‘New Discipline’ Convening is: o More than a meeting o More than facilitation o The beginning of a relationship focused on practice change

Persistent Challenges Technical Challenge Requires information, knowledge or tools Adaptive (Relationship) Challenges Requires understanding and a willingness to make behavior changes Source: Heifetz and Linsky, Leadership on the Line, 2002

Learning that technical solutions are necessary but often not sufficient Knowing when a persistent problem needs a adaptive (relationship) solution Building adaptive (relationship) skills as a part of strategy The Leadership Challenge

Leading by Convening: Framework for Authentic Engagement

Let’s look at the tools for Coalescing Four Simple Questions Meet the Stakeholders

Four Simple Questions  Who cares about this issue and why?  What work is already underway separately?  What shared work could unite us?  How can we deepen our connections?

Meet the Stakeholders

Relevant Participation Has Several Faces: Range, Frequency, and Role Range: Power differential Supporters and critics Players at different levels of scale Frequency: Episodic or ongoing Predictable interaction, sufficient to build relationships Often enough for stakeholders to take roles Role: Fixed or shared leadership roles Everybody comes as a learner

Let’s look at the tools for Relevant Participation Engaging Everybody

Let’s look at the tools for Doing Work Together Problems Come Bundled

Leading by Convening means we….. Meet people ‘where they are’ on the issue. Bring people together to build support for addressing the issue. Convene the stakeholders to discover why this is important and how it will improve practice. Translate complex challenges into ways that individuals can contribute. Help people ‘lead in place’ regardless of role, position, or title. Create new knowledge together. Solve complex issues that need the various perspectives/aspects that contribute to problems/solutions. Build a personal commitment to working in this way because we believe inclusive work is better and more sustainable work. Cultivate the habit of collaboration. Integrate collaboration into the identity of the group and the individual. Other…..

Let’s look at the tools for Doing Work Together Measuring Progress

Leading by Convening: Bringing It All Together Measuring Progress Qualitative Rubrics to Quantitative Comparisons

When People Change...Systems Change. Be the change! Give Value FirstYour Brand