I frequently get asked to present at conferences and webinars about transformative change.
The most common topic request is to talk about the most successful change initiatives I’ve led or helped clients lead.
Tell us about how you created the nation’s best outcome dashboard for workforce training programs.
Walk us through the lobbying strategy that moved $12 million of annual state funding to train thousands of low-income workers.
Describe how your 5 minute conversation with the deputy commissioner of human services led to receiving $5 million more federal funds.
I’m proud of those accomplishments, but I’ve learned much more from my failures.
Like the two statewide coalitions I created that fell apart even though we were on the cusp of a $50 million legislative reform.
Or, spending tens of thousands of dollars organizing hundreds of high-level stakeholders and facilitating meetings over 24 months…only to realize that most people had more self-interest in keeping the status quo than creating a better system.
Most painful, perhaps, were the pyrrhic victories – initiatives that “succeeded” in and of themselves but ultimately weren’t meaningful in the bigger picture. These policy changes were self-promoted by funders and got written up in national think tank reports as “best practices”, but they only looked good on paper.
Over several years I won many battles (yay!) but it was in the midst of losing the proverbial war.
In the social and public sectors, we tend to focus on “what worked.” And in many cases, that makes sense.
But too often, what didn’t work is swept under the rug.
Press releases and annual reports announce the next innovative initiative to solve the issue rather than explore why the last three initiatives didn’t work.
We don’t want to embarrass ourselves or our funders or public leaders with inconvenient facts and failed initiatives.
This practice may protect reputations, but it also prevents learning.
If we can’t admit failure, we can’t learn from it.
To that end, I want you to spend a moment envisioning your biggest failures.
Doesn’t sound fun, right?
But just consider, unless you are already perfect and make the best decisions every time, you have room to improve. And that’s great news.
You can get better and be more effective.
Here’s how you can be more successful with failure: after identifying one failed change initiative that you participated in, go through the following 3 steps.
Step 1: Be honest with yourself
In early 2019, I began working as director of systems change for a national network of 30+ communities around the country.
When I started, I made a pact with myself.
I was going to be 100% honest with network members about my role in failed systems change initiatives.
I wanted local leaders to know that it was OK – and actually essential – to admit when something didn’t work. And beyond that, the most important part was to move beyond blaming others and instead fully investigate your own role.
It felt vulnerable at first, but it led to some great insights that network members were able to immediately apply in their local communities.
In this step, you specifically outline your own role in how failure occurred.
Step 2: Analyze stakeholder roles in previous efforts
As a strategic consultant, I often get called into new change initiatives.
A community has a new grant to end homelessness by 2025. A new multi-sector coalition is forming to reduce crime. The mayor’s office wants to streamline the city’s anti-poverty services.
Most of these efforts begin with brainstorming about solutions. What is new that we can do about the problem?
I’ve found that any room full of engaged stakeholders can easily fill 200 post-it notes with ideas. But it’s not very useful.
So, during coffee and lunch breaks, I spend all my time asking people about their role in past initiatives to address the issue. It is not infrequent that half the people in the room have participated in 2-3 previous efforts.
The key to success lies in understanding each person’s role in how the previous effort functioned (or didn’t).
In this step, try to identify individual roles and actions. Then, ask those who were involved if they agree with your assessment.
Step 3: Outline what you personally won’t do
In the last two steps, you investigated your personal role in a failed change initiative (step 1), as well as analyzed others’ roles in previous efforts (step 2).
In this step, you make a list of what NOT to do in the future.
Yes, you heard that right.
Success is determined more by what you don’t do, rather than by what you do.
Steps 1 and 2 are full of lessons about what actions to avoid. Ways not to treat people. Activities that look good but are ultimately a waste of time.
In this step, review your previous answers to create a personal not-doing list.
And that’s it.
All you have to do moving forward – no matter your role – is avoid making the mistakes of the past.
Sure, you’ll make new mistakes, but as long as you can admit them, you have the opportunity to get better.
I hope failure will be a big part of your 2023. 😉
Best of luck.
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.
