adm 612 - leadership lecture 16 – catalytic leadership

ADM 612 - LeadershipADM 612 - Leadership

Lecture 16 – Catalytic Leadership

The Structure of Public ProblemsThe Structure of Public Problems

• Well-structured problems.– One or a few decision-makers.– Small set of policy alternatives.– Utilities reflect consensus on goals which are clearly

ranked in order of decision makers’ preferences.– The outcomes of each alternative are either known with

complete certainty (deterministically) or within acceptable margins of probable error (risk).

• Well-structured problems.– One or a few decision-makers.– Small set of policy alternatives.– Utilities reflect consensus on goals which are clearly

ranked in order of decision makers’ preferences.– The outcomes of each alternative are either known with

complete certainty (deterministically) or within acceptable margins of probable error (risk).


• Moderately-structured problems.– One or a few decision makers.– Small set of policy alternatives.– Utilities reflect consensus on goals which are

clearly ranked in order of decision makers’ preferences.

– However, the outcomes are neither certain nor calculable; they are uncertain.

• Moderately-structured problems.– One or a few decision makers.– Small set of policy alternatives.– Utilities reflect consensus on goals which are

clearly ranked in order of decision makers’ preferences.

– However, the outcomes are neither certain nor calculable; they are uncertain.


• Ill-structured problems.– Many different decision-makers.– Unlimited alternatives.– Conflict among competing goals.– Outcomes are unknown, not just

uncertain.

• Ill-structured problems.– Many different decision-makers.– Unlimited alternatives.– Conflict among competing goals.– Outcomes are unknown, not just

uncertain.

The Structure of Public ProblemsThe Structure of Public ProblemsStructure of problem

ELEMENT Well-structuredModerately- structured Ill-structured

Decision makers One or few One or few Many

Alternatives Limited Limited Unlimited

Utilities (values) Consensus Consensus Conflict

Outcomes Certainty or risk Uncertainty Unknown

Probabilities Calculable Incalculable Incalculable

The Interconnected Nature of Public Problems


Characteristics of Interconnected Problems Impact on Public Leadership

Problems cross traditional boundariesRequires cross-boundary thinking and

action

Problems cross organizational and jurisdictional boundaries

Interorganizational arrangements required to address the problem

Issues are often cross-cutting, transcending functional boundaries Cross-functional teams required

Problems cross temporal and generational boundaries

Must consider intergenerational impacts

Involved in interrelated web of other problems; “wicked” or nontame; caught in swamp

Extremely difficult to untangle cause-and-effect relationships; difficult to find just one “cause”.



Characteristics of Interconnected Problems

Impact on Public Leadership

Problems are socially constructed No natural consensus on problem definition

Range of problem representations, depending on one’s cognitive and emotional biases

Multiplicity of conflicting problem definitions; public leader influences decision process

Strategies emerge from one’s definition of the problem and “mental model” of causes and effects

Agreement on problem definition is critical for concerted action

No optimal solutions No quick fixes or easy remedies

Problems are intractable and never entirely solved

Seek improvements in conditions or outcomes, rather than problem elimination

Technical remedies ineffective; real progress requires deeper systemic changes

Seek improvements in conditions or outcomes, rather than problem elimination



• Web of constraints.– Fragmented public authority.

• Proliferation of stakeholders and knowledge holders.• Diminished influence of special interest groups.

– Constraints of public distrust.– Dwindling revenue sources.

• What is needed is concerted action by multiple and diverse groups.

• Web of constraints.– Fragmented public authority.

• Proliferation of stakeholders and knowledge holders.• Diminished influence of special interest groups.

– Constraints of public distrust.– Dwindling revenue sources.

• What is needed is concerted action by multiple and diverse groups.

Leadership in a Interconnected World


• Leadership context.– Problems cross jurisdictional and functional boundaries

and are interconnected with other problems.– An increasing number and diversity of impassioned

activists, special-interest groups, and legitimate stakeholders demand involvement on each issue.

– No one is in charge, and no single agency has sufficient power to achieve objectives unilaterally.

• Leadership context.– Problems cross jurisdictional and functional boundaries

and are interconnected with other problems.– An increasing number and diversity of impassioned

activists, special-interest groups, and legitimate stakeholders demand involvement on each issue.

– No one is in charge, and no single agency has sufficient power to achieve objectives unilaterally.



• Tasks of effective public leadership.– Focus attention by elevating the issue to the public and

policy agendas.– Engage people in the effort by convening the diverse set

of people, agencies, and interests need to address the issue.

– Stimulate multiple strategies and options for action.– Sustain action and maintain momentum by managing the

interconnections through appropriate institutionalization and rapid information sharing and feedback.

• Tasks of effective public leadership.– Focus attention by elevating the issue to the public and

policy agendas.– Engage people in the effort by convening the diverse set

of people, agencies, and interests need to address the issue.

– Stimulate multiple strategies and options for action.– Sustain action and maintain momentum by managing the

interconnections through appropriate institutionalization and rapid information sharing and feedback.



• No one person or single organization can take the lead role in all four tasks; Leadership evolves and is shared.

• No one person or single organization can take the lead role in all four tasks; Leadership evolves and is shared.

Raising Awareness: Focusing Public Attention on the Issue


• Effective public leaders act as a catalyst, focusing attention toward an issue or problem area, and initially defining a situation in ways that stir others’ interests and mobilize them to search for responses.

• Effective public leaders do not necessarily promote solutions; they promote problems.

• Effective public leaders act as a catalyst, focusing attention toward an issue or problem area, and initially defining a situation in ways that stir others’ interests and mobilize them to search for responses.

• Effective public leaders do not necessarily promote solutions; they promote problems.



• Issue Attention Cycles.– Public problems generally go through an

issue attention cycle from a latent concern to the public agenda, to the policy agenda.

– Not tidy or linear.

• Issue Attention Cycles.– Public problems generally go through an

issue attention cycle from a latent concern to the public agenda, to the policy agenda.

– Not tidy or linear.



A condition(an existing situation or latent problem)

Not every condition will surface as a problem or be defined as a problem

A problem(a problem captures the public’s attention)

A societal concern becomes salient and important, and thus captures public attention through increasing awareness, visibility and emotional concern

A priority issue(an issue rises to priority status of key decision makers)

The issue is felt as urgent and pressing, coupled with some optimism that it can be addressed, and thus displaces other problems on the policy agenda.



• Common features required to raise an issue to the public agenda.

– One or more focusing events that forcefully dramatize the issue.– Concreteness and clarity of the issue to the general public and

applicability to one’s self.– Credibility and legitimacy of the sources of information the public

receives.– Sustained media presence or a dramatic spike in media

attention.– Issue networks or groups that form around the issue.– Connections to possible or actual policy options.

• Common features required to raise an issue to the public agenda.

– One or more focusing events that forcefully dramatize the issue.– Concreteness and clarity of the issue to the general public and

applicability to one’s self.– Credibility and legitimacy of the sources of information the public

receives.– Sustained media presence or a dramatic spike in media

attention.– Issue networks or groups that form around the issue.– Connections to possible or actual policy options.



• Increased awareness and visibility of the condition.– Show a worsening trend.– Identify troubling comparisons.

• Increased salience of an issue.– Salience occurs when a condition is viewed as real,

personal, and tangible.– Stories and personal anecdotes.– Images.

• Increased awareness and visibility of the condition.– Show a worsening trend.– Identify troubling comparisons.

• Increased salience of an issue.– Salience occurs when a condition is viewed as real,

personal, and tangible.– Stories and personal anecdotes.– Images.



• Increased emotional concern.– Identify a conditions as threat or opportunity.

• Threats work better than opportunities.– Develop evidence as a moral gap.

• Does the condition conflict with closely held moral values?

• Conditions become problems when enough people believe that the situation is no longer acceptable and that something should be done to fix it.

• Increased emotional concern.– Identify a conditions as threat or opportunity.

• Threats work better than opportunities.– Develop evidence as a moral gap.

• Does the condition conflict with closely held moral values?

• Conditions become problems when enough people believe that the situation is no longer acceptable and that something should be done to fix it.



• Moving a public problem to a priority status issue.

– Creating urgency.• Not the same thing as declaring a crisis. Crisis

decision-making inhibits the development of more comprehensive options.

– Instilling hope and optimism.• Must be perceived as do-able.

• Moving a public problem to a priority status issue.

– Creating urgency.• Not the same thing as declaring a crisis. Crisis

decision-making inhibits the development of more comprehensive options.

– Instilling hope and optimism.• Must be perceived as do-able.



• Common catalytic strategies.– Intellectual awareness of a worsening condition

or troubling comparisons.– Emotional arousal and concern regarding the

condition.– Sense that the problem is urgent.– Belief that the problem can be addressed.

• Common catalytic strategies.– Intellectual awareness of a worsening condition

or troubling comparisons.– Emotional arousal and concern regarding the

condition.– Sense that the problem is urgent.– Belief that the problem can be addressed.



• Attentional triggers.– Accidents and disasters.– Intentional focusing events.– Reports and evaluations.– Issue windows and timing.

• Attentional triggers.– Accidents and disasters.– Intentional focusing events.– Reports and evaluations.– Issue windows and timing.



• Strategic use of the media.– Media highlights crises, issues, and

controversies.– How an issue is reported effects how it is initially

characterized.– Public leaders view the media as opportunities

to focus attention on issues rather than as adversaries to be avoided.

• Strategic use of the media.– Media highlights crises, issues, and

controversies.– How an issue is reported effects how it is initially

characterized.– Public leaders view the media as opportunities

to focus attention on issues rather than as adversaries to be avoided.



• Framing and reframing the problem.– Priority issues must be defined or framed in ways that capture

and hold broad interest.– Framing problems is an important catalytic task.– Public leadership requires great strategic sensitivity to how a

condition, problem, or issue is initially framed, because framing directly influences whether or not individuals will feel that the condition, problem, or issue is urgent and worthy of attention or merely one of a myriad of other current problems.

– Media is central to definition and framing of a problem.

• Framing and reframing the problem.– Priority issues must be defined or framed in ways that capture

and hold broad interest.– Framing problems is an important catalytic task.– Public leadership requires great strategic sensitivity to how a

condition, problem, or issue is initially framed, because framing directly influences whether or not individuals will feel that the condition, problem, or issue is urgent and worthy of attention or merely one of a myriad of other current problems.

– Media is central to definition and framing of a problem.



• Elevating a public problem to the policy agenda.– Stimulate an awareness and emotional concern that a

problem or opportunity exists.– Elevate the problem to priority status by creating a sense

of urgency and “do-ability”.– Use attentional triggers and other catalytic mechanisms to

expand the number of people who are aware of and concerned about the issue.

• Elevating a public problem to the policy agenda.– Stimulate an awareness and emotional concern that a

problem or opportunity exists.– Elevate the problem to priority status by creating a sense

of urgency and “do-ability”.– Use attentional triggers and other catalytic mechanisms to

expand the number of people who are aware of and concerned about the issue.



• Strategic questions.– Is the issue on the public agenda already? Has it

been on the agenda before? If so, why hasn’t this stimulated sufficient action before?

– What are the data on the problem? Is there a worsening condition or a troubling comparison?

– Does it need more visibility? How can the project become more real or salient to the public and key decision makers?

• Strategic questions.– Is the issue on the public agenda already? Has it

been on the agenda before? If so, why hasn’t this stimulated sufficient action before?

– What are the data on the problem? Is there a worsening condition or a troubling comparison?

– Does it need more visibility? How can the project become more real or salient to the public and key decision makers?



• Strategic questions.– How can the media best be engaged?– How can the issue be defined or framed

to expand the number of those interested and concerned?

• Strategic questions.– How can the media best be engaged?– How can the issue be defined or framed

to expand the number of those interested and concerned?

adm 612 - leadership lecture 16 – catalytic leadership

Documents

problems wicked

problems cross temporal

different decisionmakers

structured decision

unlimited alternatives

catalytic leadership

competing goals

problem issues