1. Becoming an agent of change Class 4
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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.
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Challenges
2. Securing legitimacy & support
Framing
Persuasion
Negotiation
Political mobilization
Orchestrating conflict
Brokering coalitions
“Calling a public into existence” (Dewey)
Authorizing environment
Value
Capacities
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4. CASE Housing the Homeless
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Case: Housing the Homeless
This session’s sections: Problem (triangle) Strategic approach Impact Managing meaning
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7. 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
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8. Numbers: Nola’s City Jail
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Symbols: words
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Symbols: visuals
(The New York Times, 2008, pic)
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11. 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
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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? 
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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.
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14. But what is the right definition?
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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?
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Case: Housing the Homeless
Now in New Orleans…
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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