Navigating the Long Game of Changing Systems

Part 1: The Early Years

Collaborating across organizations to address root causes and change conditions at the system level is a messy, long experience. There are so many different approaches - Collective Impact, Systemness, grassroots organizing, and so on - each with their own principles, frameworks, tools, and ways of doing the work “correctly.” Differences of perspective exist across different stakeholder groups - community members, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, the business community, and funding organizations - about how to approach the problem, how long it should take, how much it should cost, and how to get things done. But in my experience working with collaboratives trying to solve “wicked problems”, despite multiple approaches and methods, this kind of work actually tends to follow a fairly predictable pattern. 

This will be a three-part series, in honor of Beyonce’s Renaissance (have y’all LISTENED to Cowboy Carter yet?!). Over the next few months, I’m going to be exploring the life cycles of collaborative efforts and breaking them down into their essential elements, based on my own research, professional experience, and Elevate’s work in this space with partners working to improve systems across a range of issues.  Each installment of this series will focus on a phase in this life cycle. 

• Part 1 - Building a Foundation: The Early Years (Years 1-3…ish)

• Part 2 - Testing, Learning, and Refining: Early-Middle Years (Years 3-7…ish)

• Part 3 - Embedding and Sustaining Change: Middle-Late Years (Years 5-10…ish)

Let’s go! 

Building a Foundation: The Early Years (Years 1-3…ish)

In the early years of any systems change initiative, the focus is really on a few critical elements - building relationships, understanding the landscape, and developing a shared vision. There’s often a pull to jump directly into problem-solving or piloting in this phase, and don’t get me wrong, a lot can be learned from implementing early tests or pilots. But focusing on these three pieces in a disciplined way lays a strong foundation for subsequent efforts. 

Building Relationships. Systems change moves at the speed of relationships, and relationships move at the speed of trust. If you’re a more action-oriented person, these types of activities and conversations can feel useless or unproductive. But one of the biggest predictors of the success of a collaborative is the strength of their relationships and the levels of trust its members have with one another.  Establishing a pattern of creating real connections among partners, creating and living into shared norms, and engaging in productive conflict is critical to long-term success. 

Understanding the Landscape. What data exists to inform our work? What do the data say about the extent of the problem we’re trying to solve? Who has lived experience with the problem, and what are their perspectives? What has worked in other places that we could try, or what does the academic research say about the work we’re doing? What partners are already engaged in this work? What role do they play? How are they collaborating? These questions are critical to inform strategies, and can’t be overlooked. Again, there’s always space for testing and piloting, but starting with this step helps develop strategies that leverage resources in the most strategic way possible. 

Defining the Problem and Building a Shared Vision: One of the biggest hurdles in systems change/collaborative work is getting clarity on the problem we’re trying to solve. Often, we view the problem from our individual (or organizational) vantage points, which can be limited by a number of factors. We come to the table with our own perceptions of the problems, its impacts, and the things we can do to solve it. For effective collaboration, we must spend time and energy co-creating a shared understanding of the challenge and a vision for how we might begin to tackle it. 

Stay tuned for Part 2, and in the meantime, let me know what you think at amy@consultelevate.com. What did I miss, or which of these resonates with you? Looking forward to continuing this conversation!