In today’s issue, I want to show you how quickly you can decode why a problem hasn’t been previously solved.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to understand why earlier efforts failed before investing serious time and money in a new initiative.
Unfortunately, my schedule is full of strategic advising calls where people tell me about how they spent the last 18 months organizing meetings and stakeholders only to find the same gridlock with the status quo.
We’re going to end that ineffective approach right now.
For this example, I’m going to review City X’s last three efforts to reduce homelessness. (City X is a composite of three regions I’ve worked in across the US).
It only takes a little research, and the cost of a cup of coffee for each person you interview.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Collect the basic facts about current reality
The first thing you need to do is create a quick summary of the problem at hand. In this case, facts about homelessness in City X.
The easiest way is to do some online research.
New stories, research studies, government reports.
In big cities, this is fairly easy: a Google search will give you what you need to know. I’m lucky because City X is included in a statewide dashboard with annual PIT (point-in-time) counts and demographics. I can see how the numbers have changed over the last 5 years.
In rural regions or smaller towns, you may have to call the local paper, go down to city hall, or talk with a nonprofit.
For City X, I collect as many facts as I can in one hour and then organize them into a one-page document.
My one-pager covers just four things:
- A succinct description of what the problem is
- Numbers describing the size of the problem and how it is changing (e.g. rate of change)
- A list of current or ongoing efforts to address the problem (e.g. who is doing what?)
- Budget: how much is being spent on the issue?
It doesn’t have to be fancy. The simpler the better.
It’s OK if you’re uncertain about your answers. You’ll have a chance to fact-check these with stakeholders in a subsequent step.
Time: 2 hours
Cost: Free
Step 2: Catalog previous initiatives
Next, I’m going to examine each of the historical efforts to address the issue.
If you’re lucky, you may find a written history of earlier efforts.
For City X, there was a City Hall report that cataloged three initiatives that began in the last decade and continue to operate:
- A state-led interagency council that created a plan to end homelessness 9 years ago
- A funders collaborative that has spent over $3 million over the last 7 years
- A county-led effort since the Covid-19 pandemic to buy hotels and convert them into single-room occupancy housing
For each initiative, I try to collect the basic facts. A good place to start is with the 5 W’s:
- Who was involved?
- What was their goal?
- Where was their focus (e.g. geography and/or target population)?
- When did it happen?
- Why did it end? (You can ignore this question if it is still operating)
Then ask:
- How much did they achieve?
Again, less is more. Try to spend only 20 minutes per initiative. Keep it short and simple, and aim for one page total.
Time: 1 hour
Cost: Free
Step 3: Buy a cup of coffee for each stakeholder
Once you have a one-pager (front and back) that summarizes the current issue as well as the main attempts to address the issue, you’re ready to talk to people in the community.
Start by creating a list of stakeholders.
Because I’ve already cataloged three initiatives and answered “Who was involved?” for each, I know many of the key players, including:
- The state director of the interagency council
- A funder involved in all three initiatives
- The county housing program director
- A business leader who was chairwoman of a short-lived Regional Housing Council
And there’s many more people. In just a few minutes I can easily create a list of 15 stakeholders.
I’m going to reach out to each of them individually and ask for just 20 minutes of their time over a cup of coffee. Once a meeting time is confirmed, I’ll share the one-pager by email 24 hours before the meeting. I’ll also bring a hard copy to the meeting.
My goal for each meeting is twofold:
First, I want to develop a relationship with them. By giving them the one-pager of research, and not asking for anything in return, I can start building their trust.
Second, I want their opinion – good/bad/otherwise – about the issue at hand and efforts to address it.
What I’m not going to do is 1) share my opinions about the issue or past efforts; 2) ask for their help in addressing the issue; 3) disagree with anything they say.
After 15 conversations like this, where I listen way more than I talk, I should have gained perspective saturation.
Time: 5 hours
Cost: $36.75 (15 venti coffees at Starbucks)
Step 4: Lessons learned and mistakes to avoid
Lastly, I’m going to write up my thoughts on Why Previous Efforts Didn’t Solve The Problem.
This will likely include themes from my stakeholder conversations, but also my own ideas.
I aim for outlining the top 3-5 reasons in half a page.
In the case of City X, it looks something like this:
- Efforts were focused on “ending” homelessness with large system reforms (that didn’t materialize) rather than tangible action steps toward incremental improvement.
- Faith in implementing a “silver bullet” policy – which changed every few years based on what was popular at the time – that was hoped would solve the issue once and for all.
- Coordinated vision statements across many organizations, but uncoordinated service delivery for chronically homeless.
- Collective fatigue with large, ongoing stakeholder meetings where, according to several stakeholders, “nothing gets done.”
Finally, I create a list of Things To Avoid Moving Forward.
Not what your new initiative will do about the problem, but what it won’t do. Specifically, how it won’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
For City X, it’s pretty straight-forward:
- Don’t set a utopian vision
- Don’t believe one change will solve the issue
- Don’t ignore service delivery coordination
- Don’t waste time with big stakeholder meetings
Time: 1 hour
Cost: Free
That’s it.
Nine hours of work and $36.75 to create a 3-page document and develop 15 relationships that have the potential to save future efforts millions of dollars and years of time
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See you again next week.
Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways I can help you:
→ I’m a strategic advisor for the toughest societal problems like poverty, crime and homelessness. People come to me when they want to stop spinning their wheels and get transformative, systems-level change.
→ I’m a coach for emerging and executive leaders in the social and public sectors who want to make progress on their biggest goals and challenges.
Let’s find out how I can help you become transformational.
