ADM 612 - LeadershipADM 612 - Leadership

Lecture 17 – Catalytic Leadership

Forming Working Groups: Bringing People Together to Address the Problem

Forming Working Groups: Bringing People Together to Address the Problem

• The second task of public leadership is then to engage people in addressing the problem, convening the diverse set of people, agencies, and interests.

• Stakeholders convene around a problem or issue rather than a solution.

– Requires some initial agreement by key stakeholders.

• The second task of public leadership is then to engage people in addressing the problem, convening the diverse set of people, agencies, and interests.

• Stakeholders convene around a problem or issue rather than a solution.

– Requires some initial agreement by key stakeholders.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Looking beyond the usual suspects.• Steps.

– A comprehensive list of all stakeholders is generated.– Knowledge holders who can contribute to the problem-solving

process are identified.– A small core working group, coalition, or initiating committee is

developed based on such criteria as resources, perspectives, and power.

– After the core working group is convened and key outcomes are agreed upon, additional participants are identified to join the problem-solving effort.

• Looking beyond the usual suspects.• Steps.

– A comprehensive list of all stakeholders is generated.– Knowledge holders who can contribute to the problem-solving

process are identified.– A small core working group, coalition, or initiating committee is

developed based on such criteria as resources, perspectives, and power.

– After the core working group is convened and key outcomes are agreed upon, additional participants are identified to join the problem-solving effort.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• The larger community of interests.– Who is affected by the issue?– Who has an interest in or has expressed an

opinion about the issue?– Who is in a position to exert influence –

positively or negatively – on the issue?– Who ought to care?

• The larger community of interests.– Who is affected by the issue?– Who has an interest in or has expressed an

opinion about the issue?– Who is in a position to exert influence –

positively or negatively – on the issue?– Who ought to care?

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Two ignored groups.– Knowledge holders.

• They assist discussants to present their concerns and options in more informed ways and with greater technical sophistication.

• They can level the playing field by equalizing access to information.

• Knowledge holders can raise new or taboo issues that other are reluctant to raise.

• Knowledge holders with more systemic perspectives can stimulate a broader analysis of the interconnected problem.

• Two ignored groups.– Knowledge holders.

• They assist discussants to present their concerns and options in more informed ways and with greater technical sophistication.

• They can level the playing field by equalizing access to information.

• Knowledge holders can raise new or taboo issues that other are reluctant to raise.

• Knowledge holders with more systemic perspectives can stimulate a broader analysis of the interconnected problem.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Two ignored groups.– Ripple-effect stakeholders.

• Second or third-order (ripple effects) impacts.

• Two ignored groups.– Ripple-effect stakeholders.

• Second or third-order (ripple effects) impacts.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• The right balance of stakeholders and knowledge holders.– Individuals who “make things happen”.

• People who can facilitate or ensure implementation of decisions by the working group.

– Criteria for stakeholder power.• Access to key decision makers.• Credibility, a history of committed action, and good contacts.• New, fresh ideas; Background expertise; Flexibility.• Resource control and an ability to dedicate money, time, and people

to address to the issue.

• The right balance of stakeholders and knowledge holders.– Individuals who “make things happen”.

• People who can facilitate or ensure implementation of decisions by the working group.

– Criteria for stakeholder power.• Access to key decision makers.• Credibility, a history of committed action, and good contacts.• New, fresh ideas; Background expertise; Flexibility.• Resource control and an ability to dedicate money, time, and people

to address to the issue.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• The right balance of stakeholders and knowledge holders.

– Individuals who think outside the box.• People capable of “frame breaking”.

• The right balance of stakeholders and knowledge holders.

– Individuals who think outside the box.• People capable of “frame breaking”.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Varied sizes of successful working groups.– A critical mass who emerged from the stakeholder assessment,

but no magical size.– Large enough to include those considered critical to

implementation, but small enough to be creative.– Three rules for successful efforts.

• Do not start without considering all the potential stakeholders and knowledge holders (ripple effect).

• Include in the core working group those that can make things happen, those that can block things from happening, and can contribute to making the best decision.

• Create multiple tiers of participation, such as consultative forums.

• Varied sizes of successful working groups.– A critical mass who emerged from the stakeholder assessment,

but no magical size.– Large enough to include those considered critical to

implementation, but small enough to be creative.– Three rules for successful efforts.

• Do not start without considering all the potential stakeholders and knowledge holders (ripple effect).

• Include in the core working group those that can make things happen, those that can block things from happening, and can contribute to making the best decision.

• Create multiple tiers of participation, such as consultative forums.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Eliciting the Participation of Key Individuals.– An interest or stake in the issue and the issue is urgent.

(Most critical)– A sense of interdependence. (Most critical).– The convener is credible and the other stakeholders

belong.– They have the skills or insights to offer.– The effort is likely to produce desirable results is worthy of

their expertise and energy.

• Eliciting the Participation of Key Individuals.– An interest or stake in the issue and the issue is urgent.

(Most critical)– A sense of interdependence. (Most critical).– The convener is credible and the other stakeholders

belong.– They have the skills or insights to offer.– The effort is likely to produce desirable results is worthy of

their expertise and energy.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Convening the first meetings.– Safe space for informal explorations (neutral).– Legitimate process of proceeding.

• Clear purpose.• Ground rules.

– Decision-making process.– Representation.– Proxies.– Relationship of core working group to other external agencies.– Logistics such as minutes and record keeping.

• Convening the first meetings.– Safe space for informal explorations (neutral).– Legitimate process of proceeding.

• Clear purpose.• Ground rules.

– Decision-making process.– Representation.– Proxies.– Relationship of core working group to other external agencies.– Logistics such as minutes and record keeping.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Legitimate process of proceeding.– Norms.

• How to respond effectively to differing perspectives, etc.• How to ensure equal airtime in group discussions.• How to stimulate continued mutual learning among group

members.• How to build in social time.

– Clear roles.– Appropriate sequence of activities.

• Legitimate process of proceeding.– Norms.

• How to respond effectively to differing perspectives, etc.• How to ensure equal airtime in group discussions.• How to stimulate continued mutual learning among group

members.• How to build in social time.

– Clear roles.– Appropriate sequence of activities.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Public leadership summary.– Engaging people in the effort.

• Identify the full spectrum of stakeholders and knowledge holders.

• Enlist core working group members and design multiple levels of participation to ensure a broader reach.

• Convene the first meetings and invest in beginnings.

• Public leadership summary.– Engaging people in the effort.

• Identify the full spectrum of stakeholders and knowledge holders.

• Enlist core working group members and design multiple levels of participation to ensure a broader reach.

• Convene the first meetings and invest in beginnings.

Forming Working GroupsForming Working Groups

• Key questions.– Who are the stakeholders, knowledge holders, and other resources?– Who can make things happen in this issue area? Who can block action?– Who are appropriate newcomers or outsiders with unique perspectives?– What is an appropriate critical mass to initiate action?– Who should be invited to participate in the effort to address the issue?– How can core participants, once identified, be motivated to join the

collective effort?– What other forms and levels of participation could generate quality

ideas?– How can first meetings be convened to create a safe space and

legitimate process for problem solving?

• Key questions.– Who are the stakeholders, knowledge holders, and other resources?– Who can make things happen in this issue area? Who can block action?– Who are appropriate newcomers or outsiders with unique perspectives?– What is an appropriate critical mass to initiate action?– Who should be invited to participate in the effort to address the issue?– How can core participants, once identified, be motivated to join the

collective effort?– What other forms and levels of participation could generate quality

ideas?– How can first meetings be convened to create a safe space and

legitimate process for problem solving?

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Essential conditions for effective working groups.– A core of committed and motivated group members, with sufficient skills and

knowledge, who do not relinquish their organizational autonomy or institutional independence.

– A unifying purpose based on agreement on desired outcomes that identifies the desired results the group hopes to achieve.

– A deliberative form of interaction with agreed-upon norms that enhance mutual learning and conflict resolution, stimulates learned leadership, builds trust, and is facilitated by both personal and electronic linkages.

– A structured, credible process of strategy development that is custom-tailored to the context and situation and that allots sufficient time to problem defining and redefining.

• Essential conditions for effective working groups.– A core of committed and motivated group members, with sufficient skills and

knowledge, who do not relinquish their organizational autonomy or institutional independence.

– A unifying purpose based on agreement on desired outcomes that identifies the desired results the group hopes to achieve.

– A deliberative form of interaction with agreed-upon norms that enhance mutual learning and conflict resolution, stimulates learned leadership, builds trust, and is facilitated by both personal and electronic linkages.

– A structured, credible process of strategy development that is custom-tailored to the context and situation and that allots sufficient time to problem defining and redefining.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Core of committed and motivated group members.

– Getting the right mix.• Unified purpose based on agreement on

desired outcomes.– End-outcome as magnet for collaboration.– Nonhierarchical guidance mechanism.– Caution against ambiguous group visions.

• Core of committed and motivated group members.

– Getting the right mix.• Unified purpose based on agreement on

desired outcomes.– End-outcome as magnet for collaboration.– Nonhierarchical guidance mechanism.– Caution against ambiguous group visions.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Deliberative form of interaction that enhances mutual learning.

– Process of mutual learning.– Shared leadership.– Personal and electronic communication

linkages.– Spiral of rising trust.

• Deliberative form of interaction that enhances mutual learning.

– Process of mutual learning.– Shared leadership.– Personal and electronic communication

linkages.– Spiral of rising trust.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Loosely structured yet credible strategy development process.

– Identify outcomes.– Explore multiple options.– Identify and agree on multiple strategies.

• Loosely structured yet credible strategy development process.

– Identify outcomes.– Explore multiple options.– Identify and agree on multiple strategies.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Identifying desired results and outcomes.– Problem defined as desired outcome or result.– Quality of ongoingness required.– Membership of working group reassessed.

• Identifying desired results and outcomes.– Problem defined as desired outcome or result.– Quality of ongoingness required.– Membership of working group reassessed.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Exploring multiple strategies.– Insights, not just information, needed.– Personal insights revealed through stories and anecdotes.– Underlying interests among group members.– Specialized knowledge shared.– Individual mental models revealed and discussed.

• Visual incorporation of individual mental models.• Catalytic impact of articulating mental models.

– Core issues clarified and redefined.

• Exploring multiple strategies.– Insights, not just information, needed.– Personal insights revealed through stories and anecdotes.– Underlying interests among group members.– Specialized knowledge shared.– Individual mental models revealed and discussed.

• Visual incorporation of individual mental models.• Catalytic impact of articulating mental models.

– Core issues clarified and redefined.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Generating multiple options and strategies.– Strategic portfolio of multiple, reinforcing

strategies.– Inventing and crafting new strategies.

• Gaining commitment on multiple strategies.

• Generating multiple options and strategies.– Strategic portfolio of multiple, reinforcing

strategies.– Inventing and crafting new strategies.

• Gaining commitment on multiple strategies.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Public leadership summary.– Build and nurture an effective working group.

• A core of committed and motivated group members.• A unifying purpose targeting outcomes and results.• A deliberative group process that enhances mutual learning.• A structured, credible process that allots time for problem defining

and redefining.– Promote and facilitate strategy development.

• Identify outcomes.• Gain shared insights and explore multiple options.• Identify and commit to multiple strategies.

• Public leadership summary.– Build and nurture an effective working group.

• A core of committed and motivated group members.• A unifying purpose targeting outcomes and results.• A deliberative group process that enhances mutual learning.• A structured, credible process that allots time for problem defining

and redefining.– Promote and facilitate strategy development.

• Identify outcomes.• Gain shared insights and explore multiple options.• Identify and commit to multiple strategies.

Creating StrategiesCreating Strategies

• Key leadership questions.– What do we hope will be the outcomes and results of the strategy

or actions?– Where is there conflict? Is it on the ultimate goals and outcomes,

or is it on the strategies and means to reach the goal? What are the underlying interests driving the conflict?

– What are the underlying assumptions or mental models shaping how this public problem is approached or perceived?

– What are the multiple strategies that can be included in a strategic portfolio on which the working group can agree?

• Key leadership questions.– What do we hope will be the outcomes and results of the strategy

or actions?– Where is there conflict? Is it on the ultimate goals and outcomes,

or is it on the strategies and means to reach the goal? What are the underlying interests driving the conflict?

– What are the underlying assumptions or mental models shaping how this public problem is approached or perceived?

– What are the multiple strategies that can be included in a strategic portfolio on which the working group can agree?

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Implementing strategies successfully: what works and what doesn’t work.

• Indicators of successful implementation.– Progress toward outcomes.– Relationships among key stakeholders.– Policy learning.– Personal goals of group members.

• Implementing strategies successfully: what works and what doesn’t work.

• Indicators of successful implementation.– Progress toward outcomes.– Relationships among key stakeholders.– Policy learning.– Personal goals of group members.

Sustaining ActionsSustaining Actions

• Common barriers to implementation.– Turf barriers.– Communication and language barriers.– Lack of enabling mechanism.– Limited leadership.– Pressure for immediate results.

• Common barriers to implementation.– Turf barriers.– Communication and language barriers.– Lack of enabling mechanism.– Limited leadership.– Pressure for immediate results.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Sustaining action during implementation of strategies.

– Commitment and support from key decision makers.• Multiple champions.• Constituent support and advocacy coalitions.• Commitment of resources.

– Interorganizational enabling mechanisms for collective action.

• Cyclical nature of interorganizational arrangements.• Variety of structural options.

• Sustaining action during implementation of strategies.

– Commitment and support from key decision makers.• Multiple champions.• Constituent support and advocacy coalitions.• Commitment of resources.

– Interorganizational enabling mechanisms for collective action.

• Cyclical nature of interorganizational arrangements.• Variety of structural options.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Sustaining action during implementation of strategies.

– Rapid information sharing and feedback.• Rapid and continuous feedback.• Outcome-based information and feedback system.

– What results?– What intermediate outcomes?– Who is responsible for collecting data?– Who should use the information?

• Sustaining action during implementation of strategies.

– Rapid information sharing and feedback.• Rapid and continuous feedback.• Outcome-based information and feedback system.

– What results?– What intermediate outcomes?– Who is responsible for collecting data?– Who should use the information?

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Sustaining action.– Rapid information sharing and feedback.

• Method to identify and select benchmarks.Benchmark measures should:– Reflect results.– Monitor implementation and track progress.– Consider multiple perspectives of stakeholders.– Be reasonably easy to gather.– Be reliable over time.– Come from credible sources.– Be understandable and useful to a non-technical audience.

• Communication network.

• Sustaining action.– Rapid information sharing and feedback.

• Method to identify and select benchmarks.Benchmark measures should:– Reflect results.– Monitor implementation and track progress.– Consider multiple perspectives of stakeholders.– Be reasonably easy to gather.– Be reliable over time.– Come from credible sources.– Be understandable and useful to a non-technical audience.

• Communication network.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Sustaining action.– Role of network facilitators.

• Relationships built on trust.• Value of small successes.• Commitment to learning.• Importance of spiraling back.

• Sustaining action.– Role of network facilitators.

• Relationships built on trust.• Value of small successes.• Commitment to learning.• Importance of spiraling back.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Public leadership summary.– Building commitment and political support.

• Find multiple champions and prime movers.• Develop support for power holders.• Build constituent support and advocacy coalitions.• Mobilize and allocate resources.

– Institutionalizing cooperative behavior.• Create enabling mechanisms and action vehicles.• Support self-organizing groups as they focus on the outcome.• Develop an outcome-based information system.

• Public leadership summary.– Building commitment and political support.

• Find multiple champions and prime movers.• Develop support for power holders.• Build constituent support and advocacy coalitions.• Mobilize and allocate resources.

– Institutionalizing cooperative behavior.• Create enabling mechanisms and action vehicles.• Support self-organizing groups as they focus on the outcome.• Develop an outcome-based information system.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Public leadership summary.– Become a network facilitator.

• Maintain focus on desired outcomes.• Develop and nurture relationships based on trust.• Seek small wins and strategic opportunities.• Maintain a commitment to learning.• Spiral back to earlier catalytic tasks to build

commitment.

• Public leadership summary.– Become a network facilitator.

• Maintain focus on desired outcomes.• Develop and nurture relationships based on trust.• Seek small wins and strategic opportunities.• Maintain a commitment to learning.• Spiral back to earlier catalytic tasks to build

commitment.

Sustaining ActionSustaining Action

• Key leadership questions.– What is the appropriate institutional structure or action vehicle to

sustain attention, action, and feedback?– How can the effort be kept outcome-oriented, not structure-

oriented?– How can we rapidly share data and information on progress, both

internally and externally?– How can the social network be maintained to facilitate

implementation?– Are there existing institutional barriers that need to be

eliminated?

• Key leadership questions.– What is the appropriate institutional structure or action vehicle to

sustain attention, action, and feedback?– How can the effort be kept outcome-oriented, not structure-

oriented?– How can we rapidly share data and information on progress, both

internally and externally?– How can the social network be maintained to facilitate

implementation?– Are there existing institutional barriers that need to be

eliminated?