Systems In Sync Newsletter


January 2012 Newsletter Strategic Planning - It's All About Adaptive Leadership
WHERE’S MARTY? January 12: CONFR Executive Committee meeting, Concord, NH (attending) January 19: CONFR Board meeting, Concord, NH (attending) January 26: Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration, Hanover, NH (attending) February 2: Ledyard Leading Women Seminar, “Retirement Planning Opportunities for Individuals and Small Businesses,” Lebanon, NH (attending) February 9: VT Nonprofit Legislative Day, Common Good VT, Montpelier, VT (attending) February 9: Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, Lebanon, NH (attending) February 16: “e-Communities in a Digital Age,” (rescheduled) Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, VT (attending) February 28: “Turning Dreams Into Reality: The Power of Strategic Planning and Systems Thinking,” MLDP, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (presenting) Visit Marty's profile on View these resources on the Systems In Sync Website Publications Articles About Us Online Resources	Dear Systems Thinker, The New Year is now into its second week, and we still have yet to see any snow on the ground. The good news is that there is amazing skating on the local ponds, so long as the ice is thick enough. The bad news is that the folks who work in winter recreation are getting hit hard, not something we need on the heels of Irene and the recession. I have heard that folks in Maine are actually performing snow dances! Perhaps I should put on my own dancing shoes and give it a shot! Of course, another benefit for me is that I haven’t had to deal with any serious snowstorms while I travel for work and frankly, that one at the end of October will last me a lifetime. Much of my work at the moment is focused around strategic planning, so it seems appropriate to have that be the subject of this newsletter. To begin with, I wish I could come up with a better name than strategic planning. For me, the word “plan” conjures up something akin to a recipe, with specific steps you follow that lead to a particular outcome. For anyone who has created and then implemented a strategic plan, you know that that is far from reality. Strategic planning is all about finding solutions to adaptive problems. In the article on the sidebar, “Leading Boldly,” the authors distinguish adaptive problems from technical problems. Technical problems are well defined with known solutions that can be solved by one person or organization. Hmmmm…..doesn’t sound much like strategic planning, does it? Adaptive problems, on the other hand, are ones where no one person or organization has the solution and which grow out of conflicting values. Implementing change involves multiple stakeholders and requires a change in values, beliefs, or behavior. This is strategic planning in a nutshell. Unfortunately, most adaptive problems are approached as though they are technical problems: if the only tool you have in your toolbox is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail. Strategic planning is often approached in the same way and as so many have discovered, throwing money or effort at adaptive problems rarely works – that’s the quick fix approach. Adaptive problems require adaptive leadership – leaders who do not impose solutions but rather help stakeholders explore their differences and discover solutions. Adaptive leaders spend a great deal of time asking questions and reflecting rather than directing. And when they conduct strategic planning, they realize that it requires the following: Time commitment: developing an effective strategic plan takes a great deal of time assessing current reality, creating shared vision, and engaging stakeholders in dialogue. Patience: strategic planning is a messy process and often creates greater ambiguity before moving beyond to a place of clarity. Flexibility: the planning process, like most processes, must adapt to changing needs; moreover, the strategic plan itself must also be flexible in order to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Evaluation: benchmarks must be built into any strategic plan to track progress – as with the plan itself, these key indicators must be flexible enough to respond to internal and external changes. Focus: no strategic plan can be effective unless there are clearly defined outcomes and a vision for success. Recognizing the difference between technical and adaptive problems can be a challenge. Moving from technical leadership to adaptive leadership can feel overwhelming, but starting with something familiar like strategic planning and applying the above framework is a good start. Who knows? You just might surprise yourself! Best, Marty	NEW ARTICLES “Working Effectively With Public Engagement Consultants: Tips for Local Officials,” Institute for Local Government, 2011. “Leading Boldly,” by Ronald A. Heifetz, John V. Kania, and Mark R. Kramer, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2004. “Questions to Ask Prospective Board Members,” by Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado, December 5, 2011 NEW WEBSITES For finding and sharing nonprofit resources: IdeaEncore Network NEW BOOKS First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, 1999. Great By Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen, 2011.

January 2012 Newsletter
Strategic Planning - It's All About Adaptive Leadership

WHERE’S MARTY?

January 12: CONFR Executive Committee meeting, Concord, NH (attending)

January 19: CONFR Board meeting, Concord, NH (attending)

January 26: Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebration, Hanover, NH (attending)

February 2: Ledyard Leading Women Seminar, “Retirement Planning Opportunities for Individuals and Small Businesses,” Lebanon, NH (attending)

February 9: VT Nonprofit Legislative Day, Common Good VT, Montpelier, VT (attending)

February 9: Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, Lebanon, NH (attending)

February 16: “e-Communities in a Digital Age,” (rescheduled) Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, VT (attending)

February 28: “Turning Dreams Into Reality: The Power of Strategic Planning and Systems Thinking,” MLDP, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (presenting)

Visit Marty's profile on

View these resources on the Systems In Sync Website

Publications
Articles
About Us
Online Resources

Dear Systems Thinker,

The New Year is now into its second week, and we still have yet to see any snow on the ground. The good news is that there is amazing skating on the local ponds, so long as the ice is thick enough. The bad news is that the folks who work in winter recreation are getting hit hard, not something we need on the heels of Irene and the recession. I have heard that folks in Maine are actually performing snow dances! Perhaps I should put on my own dancing shoes and give it a shot! Of course, another benefit for me is that I haven’t had to deal with any serious snowstorms while I travel for work and frankly, that one at the end of October will last me a lifetime.

Much of my work at the moment is focused around strategic planning, so it seems appropriate to have that
be the subject of this newsletter. To begin with, I wish I could come up with a better name than strategic planning. For me, the word “plan” conjures up something akin to a recipe, with specific steps you follow that lead to a particular outcome. For anyone who has created and then implemented a strategic plan, you know that that is far from reality.

Strategic planning is all about finding solutions to adaptive problems. In the article on the sidebar, “Leading Boldly,” the authors distinguish adaptive problems from technical problems. Technical problems are well defined with known solutions that can be solved by one person or organization. Hmmmm…..doesn’t sound much like strategic planning, does it?

Adaptive problems, on the other hand, are ones where no one person or organization has the solution and which grow out of conflicting values. Implementing change involves multiple stakeholders and requires a change in values, beliefs, or behavior. This is strategic planning in a nutshell.

Unfortunately, most adaptive problems are approached as though they are technical problems: if the only tool you have in your toolbox is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail. Strategic planning is often approached in the same way and as so many have discovered, throwing money or effort at adaptive problems rarely works – that’s the quick fix approach.

Adaptive problems require adaptive leadership – leaders who do not impose solutions but rather help stakeholders explore their differences and discover solutions. Adaptive leaders spend a great deal of time asking questions and reflecting rather than directing. And when they conduct strategic planning, they realize that it requires the following:

Time commitment: developing an effective strategic plan takes a great deal of time assessing current reality, creating shared vision, and engaging stakeholders in dialogue.
Patience: strategic planning is a messy process and often creates greater ambiguity before moving beyond to a place of clarity.
Flexibility: the planning process, like most processes, must adapt to changing needs; moreover, the strategic plan itself must also be flexible in order to adapt to a constantly changing environment.
Evaluation: benchmarks must be built into any strategic plan to track progress – as with the plan itself, these key indicators must be flexible enough to respond to internal and external changes.
Focus: no strategic plan can be effective unless there are clearly defined outcomes and a vision for success.

Recognizing the difference between technical and adaptive problems can be a challenge. Moving from technical leadership to adaptive leadership can feel overwhelming, but starting with something familiar like strategic planning and applying the above framework is a good start. Who knows? You just might surprise yourself!

Best,

Marty

NEW ARTICLES

“Working Effectively With Public Engagement Consultants: Tips for Local Officials,” Institute for Local Government, 2011.

“Leading Boldly,” by Ronald A. Heifetz, John V. Kania, and Mark R. Kramer, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2004.

“Questions to Ask Prospective Board Members,” by Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado, December 5, 2011

NEW WEBSITES

For finding and sharing nonprofit resources:

IdeaEncore Network

NEW BOOKS
First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, 1999.

Great By Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen, 2011.