Aligned Action

How to make a lasting impact on social problems

A part of Deloitte Consulting LLP

DO YOU HAVE A

BHAP?

(umm... a what?)

you know, a BHAP...

BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS PROBLEM?* * With apologies to Jim Collins

TELL US ABOUT IT.

Is it…

EMERGENT? COMPLEX? CROSS-CUTTING?

DOWNRIGHT WICKED?

LIKE MAYBE

(we’re

just

gue ssin g re he

)

REFORMING EDUCATION FIXING HEALTHCARE RESTORING THE ENVIRONMENT TACKLING INEQUALITY PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS

…YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS.

Want to know what that tough problem is asking of you?

Don't worry...

WE'LL TRANSLATE.

It's asking you to... hunt for solutions in the tight web of relationships that define them suspend your belief in quick fixes launch “little bets” because learning by doing is the name of the game see that THE GROUP is “the thing,” because isolated action leads to isolated impact

Wait...

“THE GROUP”?

That’s right, it’s telling you to gather a special sort of team…

People from different organizations* each bringing a different piece of the Solution Puzzle to the table. *BONUS IF THEY’RE FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS

S O L U

THEY’LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE TOGETHER THAN THEY EVER COULD ON THEIR OWN

T

I OOO N

IT’S INVITING YOU TO THE FRONTIER OF SOCIAL CHANGE… Where people and organizations are mobilizing into smart, agile groups to drive impact together.

IT’S BEEN DONE BEFORE. & IT’S BEING DONE NOW. But there is no beaten path.

THERE IS ONLY AN ART TO BLAZING YOUR OWN.

And we call that art...

Perhaps you’re thinking,

“I’LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT.”

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS. (Don’t worry: there’s absolutely no “kumbaya” involved.)

FIRST, YOU’LL NEED THE RIGHT TOOLS ON HAND.

You’ll need one toolkit for

CHANNELING COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE. (For getting smart as a group — and arriving at a shared understanding of the problem you all hold in common.)

METRIC DESIGN MAPPING THE PROBLEM

STRUCTURING STRATEGIC CHOICES

RAPID PROTOTYPING

QUICK-FIRE FUTURE SCENARIOS

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE

And, you’ll need another toolkit for

BUILDING THE HUMAN SYSTEM. (That’s the people you need to find the solution, build it, and make it stick.)

COLLABORATION PLATFORMS

NETWORK LEADERSHIP

SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

CONVENING DESIGN

NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT

SYSTEM-LEVEL STRATEGIC VISIONING

THE HUMAN SYSTEM

And last, but certainly not least, you'll need a toolkit for

EMBODYING NETWORK LEADERSHIP.

EMERGENT DIRECTION VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

OPEN INPUT FROM ALL

WIDELYSHARED DECISION RIGHTS

LIGHTLY-HELD STRUCTURE

NETWORK LEADERSHIP

GOT THOSE TOOLS HANDY?

Now you’re ready to get started…

HERE’S A QUICK PEEK AT HOW NETWORKS LEARN TO WALK BEFORE THEY RUN. 2 ERE >

H START

DISCOVER

1

KNOW

3

TRANSFORM

OR

TRANSITION

KNIT

6 GROW

ORGANIZE

5

4

1

Understand the real problem you’re solving for

2

Figure out who needs to be at the table, how they’re connected or not

3

Launch pilots: learn by doing

4

Design the right structure to allow for network action

5

Grow the group and build tighter connections

6

Evaluate the whole thing and why it matters

3 2 STEP BY STEP, YOU CRAFT A COMPELLING SHARED NARRATIVE

U

. CHANG

THAT BECOMES THE ROCKET FUEL FOR COLLECTIVE CHANGE We call this “Telling the Story That’s Not Yet True.”

E

1

S .S.

GOT ALL THAT?

Okay, let’s recap...

To shift big problems…

YOU ARRIVE WITH A FULL TOOLBOX...

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE THE HUMAN SYSTEM NETWORK LEADERSHIP

...with all of the tools leaders need to view change from an ecosystem-level and build a team with enough collective power to gradually un-stick a problem.

You walk in knowing that

ALIGNED-ACTION NETWORKS MUST BE GROWN AS WELL AS DESIGNED. They’re fueled by participants’ commitment, can develop into many forms, and require high-touch, dynamic guidance.

STRUCTURING STRATEGIC CHOICES

COLLABORATION PLATFORMS

CONVENING DESIGN

OPEN INPUT FROM ALL

SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

METRIC DESIGN

SYSTEM-LEVEL STRATEGIC VISIONING

RAPID PROTOTYPING

NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT

QUICKFIRE FUTURE SCENARIOS

MAPPING THE PROBLEM

EMERGENT DIRECTION

LIGHTLY-HELD STRUCTURE

WIDELY-SHARED DECISION RIGHTS

NETWORK LEADERSHIP

AND OVER TIME YOU CAN...

12 11

1

2 3 4

Build collective ownership of a problem to encourage active participation and shared leadership.

Evolve a shared narrative to find common ground and create inspiration.

Dynamically customize the work because complex problems defy tidy solutions.

Model a highly collaborative and facilitative approach to show what network leadership means.

Build capacity for adaptation so the strategy can flex to match the problem.

WE NEVER SAID IT WAS EASY.

Trailblazing takes determination and often a swing of the machete before every step.

BUT IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN UP NEW TERRITORY.

And, we believe, make a lasting difference in the world.

A part of Deloitte Consulting LLP

Find out more at: www.monitorinstitute.com/aligned-action

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