The Power of Systems Thinking: Building Short Term Momentum in Service of Long Term Goals

Transcription

1 The Power of Systems Thinking: Building Short Term Momentum in Service of Long Term Goals Sherry Immediato Heaven & Earth Incorporated With thanks to my colleagues Michael Goodman & David Stroh for their many examples including the one here on homelessness. See 1

2 2

3 Welcome & Objectives: Agenda Enhance your systems thinking skills with an understanding of the iceberg and the shifting the burden archetype Develop at least one new insight about how to reframe a quick fix to support long term goals Organizational Learning as a context for successful multi-stakeholder collaborations The Iceberg and the 5 Whys seeing reality at multiple levels Classic system stories/archetypes as a shortcut to seeing structure Illustration: Shifting the burden Implications for Leadership 3

4 4

5 Focusing Aspiration: Creative Tension* Vision Creative Tension Current Reality Creative tension is the recognition of the discrepancy between what we aspire to and our current situation. * Based on the work of Robert Fritz. 5

6 The 3-Legged Stool Core Learning Capabilities for Teams Aspiration What motivates us? Reflective Conversation Are we friends, foes, or disconnected? Understanding Complexity How do we understand change and complexity? 6

7 Seeing Beyond Fragmentation Events Developing a Systemic Perspective What happened? What s been happening? Patterns Why? What are the structures determining the results we see? (tangible and intangible) What are the implications for action? Structure 7

8 8

9 9

10 When to use Systems Thinking A problem is chronic. Causes and consequences are separated in time and space. As a complement to quality tools. To help explain why business processes are structured as they are, and how the system will resist efforts to improve them. When inter-relatedness is so strong that strategies in pursuit of self-interest are doomed to failure. If your success depends on the future looking just like the past. Each stakeholder can see a piece of the picture, but no one sees the whole. Systems thinking can build motivation, focus, collaboration and learning. 10

11 System Archetypes Reinforcing Process Balancing Process Fixes that Backfire Shifting the Burden Limits to Success Escalation Eroding Goals Success to Successful Tragedy of the Commons Growth & Underinvestment Accidental Adversaries Attractiveness Principle The archetypes (or classic system stories) are described in more detail in both The Fifth Discipline and The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook. 11

12 Mastering the Archetypes Why? Makes systems thinking visible Well understood - recur frequently Easily transferable Naturally promotes systems thinking & acting in a team Can have high "ah ha" value Shifts focus from blaming to inquiry It means Knowing the story lines Recognizing them operating Mapping out stories visually Going deeper & enriching Communicating effectively Drawing out implications for leveraged interventions 12

13 Shifting the Burden May Only Address Symptoms Quick Fixes B Problem Symptom Quick Fixes Problem Symptom R Side Effects Long Term Solutions May Be More Fundamental B Long Term Solutions Time People are aware of a long-term, fundamental solution to a problem symptom. However, it is easier for them to implement a quick fix instead. Over time, their dependence on the quick fix makes it difficult to implement the long-term solution. This is a special case of Fixes That Backfire. 13

14 Food Aid As Shifting the Burden Food Aid S B O O Starvation R O Local Food Prices B Local Agricultural Development S S 14

15 Enforcement Is Not Enough Enforcement B Public Health Problems B R Willingness of Employers & Citizens to Cooperate Partnering for Prevention 15

16 Addiction to Firefighting Firefighting B Performance or Delivery Problems B R Rewards for Firefighting R Time/Resources to Improve Systems and Processes Improvements in Systems and Processes 16

17 Dealing with Meth Labs 17

18 Ending Homelessness: Building Support The Irony of Temporary Shelters Temporary Shelters and Supports Donor Pressure for Short-Term Results Problem Visibility Vicious Cycle (3) Quick Fix (2) Homeless People Vicious Cycle (4) Funding to Individual Organizations Pressure to Make Fundamental Shifts Fundamental Solution (1) Permanent Housing Critical Services Employment Willingness, Time & Funding to Innovate and Collaborate 18

19 Ending Homelessness: Making a Choice Focusing on temporary shelters has appeared to be the right thing to do Although shelters help people cope with homelessness, they actually make it more difficult to end it The community, especially service providers, has to make a choice between coping with homelessness and ending it 19

20 Ending Homelessness: Identifying Leverage Points Permanent Solutions Mindset Increase Funder Collaboration Temporary Shelters and Supports Donor Pressure for Short-Term Results Increase Problem Visibility Problem Visibility Homeless People Funding to Individual Organizations Increase Provider/Community Collaboration Pressure to Make Fundamental Shifts Permanent Housing Critical Services Employment Willingness, Time & Funding to Innovate and Collaborate Increase Access to Housing, Employment, and Critical Services 20

21 Shifting the Burden Template Step Quick fix: Works in the short run and is easier or quicker than the long-term solution B Step Step Problem Symptom or Pressure Side Effects: Makes it harder to do the longterm solution Step Delay B Long-term solution: Harder to do and/or takes longer but would be more effective R 21

22 Shifting the Burden: Summary Short-term is easy. Long-term is hard. If overall vision or goals are missing, short-term focus takes over. Short-term solutions can erode long-term capability

23 Action Planning Quality Checks List actions you are considering. For each action: 1. What impact are you trying to have on the system? If your action works perfectly, will you have the impact you want? How well does your action have to work to have the impact you want? 2. What are the possible unintended consequences of your action? 3. How does this action/strategy take into account the system's natural resistance to change? 23

24 Strategies & Tools: Implications for Leadership Common Goals Shared Accountability Conversation/ Relationships Dialogue vs. Discussion Decision-making Groundrules Feedback Mission & Vision Integration of Work & Family Aspiration Practice Fields RESULTS! Learning Labs After Action Review Future Search Systems Thinking Question Design Unintended Consequences Leverage 24