This presentation was a leadership retreat in Johannesburg, South Africa co-lead by myself and Dr Cheryl Doig

1. Leading Change: innovation
for the Future
October 2012
Cheryl Doig and Chris Jansen
1

2. Cheryl Doig
Otautahi

3. Chris Jansen
3

4. Overview
• exploring your change inquiry
• systems thinking
• complicated or complex?
• system mapping
• creating self organisation
• tools for adaptive leadership
• mapping your change journey
4

5. Herrmann’s Whole Brain Processing
Model…
What is the big
What did the data
picture of your
tell us about you?
change?
How will we work
How will we
with a diverse team
organise resources
in ways that meet
& planning?
your needs?

6. Dilemmas
6

7. Stretch No Constraints
7

8. Partner interview
Consider a change initiative you
are involved in.
Take turns to question each other
and record on behalf of your
partner
Consider the key question you
want to work on during the
day – use the time to clarify
this…
8

9. In what ways
are
international
schools in
Africa
changing to
meet the
future needs
of learners?
9

10. DISAGREEMENT
CHAOS
AGREEMENT
STATUS
QUO
CERTAINTY UNCERTAINTY 10

11. 11

12. No easy answers…
Technical problem Adaptive challenge
Clear problem Complex and
definition and requires learning -
solutions that can can only be
be resolved through addressed through
current know-how, changes in people’s
expertise, priorities, beliefs,
organisational habits & loyalties
structures
Heifetz, Grashow & Linsky, 2009

13. Systems Thinking…
….is a way of making
sense of a complex system
…is the ability to see the world as relationships
and connections
...allows us to influence a complex system
13

14. “Where the world is dynamic, evolving and interconnected, we
tend to make decisions using mental models that are
static, narrow, and reductionist.”

15. Seeing connections instead of parts…
“You can never understand anything
by analysing it.”
“We have to understand the whole before
we can understand the parts - what
matters is their interaction.”
Russell Ackoff

17. marketing
student satisfaction
S S
reputation Causal loop
economy diagram for
R1 Growth University of
S resources (physical,
people) Canterbury
# students enrolled S
efts cap S
revenue
O financial targets
S
S management
TEC funding S
resources for R3 strategies
S R2 Growth research Performance
UC research imposed performance
profile S staff research S standards
activity
O O
O
staff involvement in
B1 Resistance decision making
resistance S
O
sick leave, stress B2 Health motivation and
leave, staff turnover commitment
O
S
team spirit/ morale
S collaboration/
engagement

18. Cynefin Framework
Multiple Multiple
connected but predictable
unpredictable cause and
interactions Complex Complicated effect
interactions
Decisions are uncertain
and solutions only Decisions require
apparent in retrospect expert knowledge
Chaotic Simple
Simple,
Multiple predictable
disconnected cause and
interactions effect
interactions
Decisions need to be made
quickly to dampen energy Decisions are obvious
Dave Snowden 18

19. Cynefin Framework
Multiple connected
but unpredictable Multiple predictable
interactions cause and effect
interactions
Complex Complicated
Decisions are uncertain Adaptive Technical
and solutions only challenges problems Decisions require
apparent in retrospect expert knowedge
Chaotic Simple
+innovative, responsive, nimble +Efficient, reliable, powerful
- messy and spontaneous - Inflexible, slow to respond
19

20. System thinking tools – affinity process
1) Clarify the question
2) Determine influence factors
3) Map connections
4) Identify leverage
5) Act with clarity
20

21. What are the indicators of a successful
international school in Africa?
What are the factors that contribute to this?
• What influences that?
• What influences that?
• What influences that?
21

22. 22

23. 23

24. 24

25. Annual Goals 2012
1. Advancing student achievement
through effective use of data
2. Continue implementation of school
curriculum document
3. Consolidating a positive school wide
culture for learning
4. Enhance presence in and engagement
with community
5. Sustained improvement in school wide
leadership, systems and processes

26. 26

27. “Multiple connected but unpredictable interactions”

28. 28

29. 29

30. Can leaders foster self organisation?
Complex systems
Self organising, adaptive,
innovative, flexible, nimble,
responsive, creative and resilient
Conditions for self organisation
1. independent agents
2. interactions with neighbours
3. Decentralised control
4. C
an attractor - motivated by
threat or opportunity
Positive
relationships
Grow engagement, and trust
motivation and Adaptive Leadership
commitment Foster interaction and shared learning

31. Adaptive Leadership
Characterised by both;
• participative processes ”Surfing the Edge of Chaos‟”
• collaborate solution finding
Benefits:
• Engagement, ownership leading to…
…enthusiasm/energy and commitment
• Better solutions – innovation
The Pronoun Test “I” or “We”
“My” or “Our”
“We” or “They”
Daniel Pink – “A whole new mind”
“There's only one thing better than ownership – authorship!
Simon Breakspear , “Talent Magnets”
31

32. Grow engagement, motivation
and commitment
32

33. Sample Engagement Survey
1) I really care about the future of my organisation
2) I am proud to tell others that I work for this organisation
3) My organisation inspires me to do my best
4) I would recommend my organisation to a friend as a good place to work
5) I am willing to put in a great deal of effort and time beyond what is
normally expected
33

34. Achieving the Tipping Point
Rogers, E.M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations. NY: The Free Press. p262

35. Tune into the environment
Innovators Early Adopters Late Majority Laggards
Venturesome, Respect, more Skeptical, cautious Traditional,
risky, can cope integrated into the focussed on past
May adopt because and interact with
with uncertainty system
of increased like minds
Can understand & “The individual to network pressure
apply complex check with” from peers or for Suspicious of
technical economic necessity innovations and
Not so far ahead change agents
knowledge
so serve as a role The weight of
Not always model systems norms Limited resources
respected by others needs to favour an leads to
Plays an important cautiousness
in the system innovation before
part by decreasing
they are convinced Can change when
Plays an important the uncertainty
role as gatekeeper - and conveying a Means that most they can see what
bringing in new subjective uncertainty must be is happening and
ideas from outside evaluation through removed before it fits with their
the system interpersonal they feel safe cultural values
networks
Rogers (1995) Diffusion of Innovation

36. Contextual Professional Learning
Allow
freedom to
Reinforcing focus on the explore
Basis for Action
learner and not needing
to „know‟ all themselves Reward
intuition &
integration
Make
connections
Rule driven
One idea in
Small context added
routines to routine
expected
Novice Beginner Competent Proficient Expert
36

37. Teacher inquiry
A (Induction)
B (the D)
Team Leaders
Technology
Board
37
Adapted from the ESD

38. Commitment Strategy
• How will you engage with them?
• Who will this be delegated to? Why?
• FRY
– Frequency
– Reach
– Yield
38

39. Team Leaders
• Co-created Y charts
• Learning walks
• Dialogue
• Action
• Relentlessness
• Sharing commitment stories
• Team expectations and feedback
“The difference between talk and practice”
39

40. Final word strategy
1. Read the article individually, highlighting items of
interest to you.
2. The first person shares one of their items; they
simply read it out and do not comment on it.
3. Each team member comments in round-robin order
about the item. (No cross-talk)
4. The person who named the item then shares his or
her thinking about the item and gets - the final word.
5. The pattern repeats until all team members have
named their item and had it commented on.
40

41. The Plastic Paradox
Neuroplasticity
has the power
to produce
more flexible
but also more
rigid
behaviours.
Norman Doidge ‘The Brain That Changes Itself’ pxvi
41

42. The way we talk,
interact or do
anything is mostly
hardwired
therefore habitual.
Habits are literally
unconscious to us.
42

43. Conditions for self organisation
Rigorous Relationships
1. independent agents
2. interactions with neighbours
3. decentralised control
4. an attractor - motivated by
threat or opportunity
43

44. Leading change engages the creative
tension between support and
challenge
SUPPORT CHALLENGE
Shared norms
values and beliefs about
learning and the way we
behave around here…
44

45. Agreed norms for our work together
Take turns
Build on ideas
Suspend judgment
Involve the whole group
Work together
Listen to understand
Maintain confidences
Respect differences
Honesty
Trustworthiness
Be present www.thinkbeyond.co.nz 45

46. Differentiation

47. Foster self organisation
Conditions for Interaction
1. independent agents
2. interactions with neighbours
3. decentralised control
4. an attractor - motivated by
threat or opportunity
47

48. Conversation
Conscious use of language and of ideas between
An exchange clarity of purpose through…
two or more people
Social
Discussion Dialogue
•Reach a conclusion •Exploratory
•Kill choice •Suspend assumptions
•Debate •Mutual questioning
•Logically explore •Growing of insights and
new ideas
Advocating Listening Inquiring
Decision Task AND relationship
Understanding
48
www.thinkbeyond.co.nz © 2011

49. “Doing the thinking for other people
is not just a waste of our own
energy; it also gets in the way of
other people working out the right
answers." Rock:9
49

50. The EPS ‘map’
http://eps.core-ed.org/

51. Listening to the voices of young
learners…
51

52. How to encourage self-feedback
• What were six things you did
really well?
• What are three things you learnt
about yourself?
• What was your biggest
challenge and how did you
overcome it?
• What would you do differently
next time?
This develops • What action will you take next?
the teacher
inquiry process
52

53. What went well?
What went well?
What impact did it have?
What impact did it
have?
How do you think you
How do you think more
couldof that?
do more of that?
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54. Realise Your Team is Your Customer
• How may I better serve you?
• Ask your team this and then follow through
e.g.
 Am I providing what you need right now?
 Am I being an obstacle or a help with this
project?
 How can you best use me here?
Remember – you must follow through
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55. 55

56. Change Inquiry Process
Planning (20 mins)
•Start with your change inquiry question
•Collate key ingredients of process
•Consider a sequence of steps
Articulating
•First person present summary (2 mins)
•Second person ask questions and feedback (5 mins)
•Swap roles
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57. Change agenda - organisational change processes
1. establish urgency based on provable need/gap
2. form a powerful coalition or core team
3. develop a vision and operation plan
4. launch numerous small ‟safe to fail‟ pilots
5. communicate the vision and develop whole school approach
6. consolidate improvements by building capacity
7. widen awareness and support
8. celebrate and embed
Based on Kotter
57

58. Our contacts
c.doig@thinkbeyond.co.nz
www.thinkbeyond.co.nz/aisa
chris.jansen@canterbury.ac.nz
58

59. One new idea is…
This is how I could use it…
59

60. Can they live with it?
• Clear proposal and context.
• Listening and being listened to.
• Understanding you don‟t have to love the
idea.
• Can you live with it?
• If not explain your reasoning.
• What is a minor modification that would
enable you to live with it?
• Can you support this in public and in private?
• Until?
“Working towards and gaining 100% 60

61. Next Practice
Next Practice
moves beyond
good practice that
already exists
“but sets out to
move it to a new
level”
Innovation unit - www.innovation-unit.co.uk/
61

62. 62

63. Behaviours before beliefs
Research on attitudinal change has long found that
most of us change our behaviors somewhat before
we get insights into new beliefs.
The implication for approaching new change is clear.
Do not load up on vision, evidence, and sense of
urgency.
Rather, give people new experiences in relatively
non-threatening circumstances, and build on it,
especially through interaction with trusted peers.
From Motion Leadership Michael Fullan 63

64. Change Complexity
Uncertainty Ambiguity
Exponential rate of change
Opportunities Paradox
Speed Lack of Control
Freshness
Unintended consequences
64

65. change is changing…..
Peter Senge – global issues
Ecological, social justice and impacts on economy
Daniel Pink
Abundance, Asia and Automation
+ technology, globalization, diversity, 21st century learners,
mental health and wellbeing, achievement tail, recruitment
and retention, workload stress
+ earthquake…..
65

66. Networked Leaders
• Understanding learners and their needs
• Sharing challenges & collaborating across
schools
• Data teams – learning analytics
• Eliminate distractions
• One message
• Over and over with the message
• A few targets – focused
• Rigour and quality of learning for all
• Connected influencers
Adapted from Fullan:
Motion Leadership re Instructional Leadership
66

67. 67

69. Four Critical Tasks in Leading Change – to adapt….
Appreciating Mobilising
Change Support
Leadershi
p
Building
Change Executing
Capability Change
69

70. Behaviours before beliefs
Research on attitudinal change has long found that
most of us change our behaviors somewhat before
we get insights into new beliefs.
The implication for approaching new change is clear.
Do not load up on vision, evidence, and sense of
urgency.
Rather, give people new experiences in relatively
non-threatening circumstances, and build on it,
especially through interaction with trusted peers.
From Motion Leadership Michael Fullan 70

71. One new idea is…
This is how I could use it…
71

72. How to encourage self-feedback
• What were six things you did
really well?
• What are three things you learnt
about yourself?
• What was your biggest
challenge and how did you
overcome it?
• What would you do differently
next time?
This develops • What action will you take next?
the teacher
inquiry process
72

73. Networked Leaders
• Understanding learners and their needs
• Sharing challenges & collaborating across
schools
• Data teams – learning analytics
• Eliminate distractions
• One message
• Over and over with the message
• A few targets – focused
• Rigour and quality of learning for all
• Connected influencers
Adapted from Fullan:
Motion Leadership re Instructional Leadership
73

74. Contributions charts
• To remedy, fix or improve a situation
• To enable people to reach an important goal.
www.plotpd.co
74

75. Where do you
The Iceberg… Results
spend your
efforts? – on the
13% that is
CONTENT
visible?
Events what can
be seen
above the Habits/behaviours
surface?
Patterns of
Behaviour SYSTEMS
put in place to support
Leverage
the culture of the
Mental Models organisation: processes,
structures What we feel
CULTURAL
Vision mission, values, norms What we think
What we are all about here…
Adapted from models by Daniel Kim, systems thinking and David Rock
75

76. Norms build trust
In schools with low levels of relational trust,
there is a 1 in 7 chance of showing gains in
student achievement.
In schools with high levels of relational trust,
there is a 1 in 2 two chance of showing gains
in student achievement.
Trust in Schools
Bryk& Schneider
www.thinkbeyond.co.nz 76