This is a short presentation that Helen Bevan made to Masters students at the University of Jönköping, Sweden on 16th January 2014. The theme of the talk was “duality” in change; • hierarchy versus network • transitional versus transformational This isn’t a trade-off to be made. As leaders of change, we need to work with the strengths of both and manage the tensions between them. Helen Bevan is Chief of Service Transformation, working in the Horizons Group at NHS Improving Quality, the national improvement body that supports the NHS in England. Follow her on Twitter @HelenBevan

1. Some ideas about large scale
change
presentation to Masters students at the
University of Jönköping,
16th January 2014
Helen Bevan
@HelenBevan
@helenbevan

2. Emerging themes in change and transformation
Emerging
direction
Dominant
approach
Organisation
Power through hierarchy
Mission and vision
Making sense through
rational argument
Leadership-driven (top
down) innovation
Tried and tested,
based on experience
Transactions
@helenbevan
Source: @HelenBevan
Community
Power through connection
Shared purpose
Making sense through
emotional connection
Viral (grass-roots
driven) creativity
“ Open” approaches , sharing
ideas & data, co-creating
change
Relationships

3. John Kotter: “Accelerate!”
• We won’t create big change through hierarchy
on its own
• We need hierarchy AND network
• Many change agents, not just the usual few
• Changing our mindset
• From “have to” to “want to”
• Head and heart, not just head
and
@helenbevan

4. The Network Secrets of Great Change Agents
As a change agent, my centrality in the
informal network is far more important
than my position in the formal
hierarchy
Julie Battilana &Tiziana Casciaro
@helenbevan

5. Two kinds of system-level problems
A difficulty
• Broad agreement on
the nature of the
problem
• Some understanding of
what the solution might
look like
• Clarity about the time
and resources required
to solve the problem
Source: System Failure - Why Governments must learn to think
differently, Jake Chapman, published by Demos
@helenbevan

6. Two kinds of system-level problems
A difficulty
A mess
• Broad agreement on
the nature of the
problem
• Some understanding of
what the solution might
look like
• Clarity about the time
and resources required
to solve the problem
• No clear agreement about
exactly what the problem is
• Ambiguity about how
improvements might be made
• Unbounded in terms of the in
terms of the time and
resources it could absorb, the
scope of enquiry needed to
understand or resolve it, and
the number of people that
may need to be involved
Source: System Failure - Why Governments must learn to think
differently, Jake Chapman, published by Demos
@helenbevan

7. Different thinking for different results
Transitional change
“Designing a co-ordinated
system”
@helenbevan

8. Different thinking for different results
Transitional change
“Designing a co-ordinated
system”
@helenbevan
A focus on methods, systems,
and behaviours
Improving what we know
already (structures, systems,
implementing best practices)
New payment systems
Refining incentives
Measures of success
Make the current system
“leaner” and less wasteful
Performance improvement

9. Different thinking for different results
Transformational change
Building an enduring capacity for change
@helenbevan

10. Different thinking for different results
Transformational change
Changing the way we think about
the problem
Not just changing behaviours but
beliefs and assumptions
Exploring unusual and innovative
alternatives
• Requires a high tolerance for
ambiguity and paradox
• Shifting power by designing a truly
person-centred system
• Continuously learns, adapts and
improves
Building an enduring capacity for change
@helenbevan