My Theory of Change

by Brian Reich | 8 Feb 2010, 1:54pm

Beth Kanter is asking what people’s theory of change is, as a part of a program that HP is running.  Here is what I wrote:

My theory of change is that everything has to change.  Everything needs to be re-visited, re-considered, re-evaluated, and ultimate re-worked. Until we do that, nothing will change - at least not on the scale that we desire, and not in a way that is sustainable.  So my theory of change is really focused on setting us up so all the other theories of change are even more likely to realize success.

I believe in the power of community and the marketplace, I am confident that people, especially now that we are all connected, have the ability to radically shift the way we organize, communicate, educate and act (read: behave) if given a solid platform from which to launch their efforts.  But for those powers to be activated, for those forces to have their influence, we have to change the way we are structured, the very way we look at how theories of change themselves are implemented.  We have to knock the meteor that is currently hurdling towards the planet (apathy, focus on activity and not impact, serving the cause instead of solving the cause) and threatening to destroy everything off course, if you will.

Thus, my theory of change is:

1) Review everything. Start by looking at every organization, plan, structure, message, tactic, and activity to understand what is working and what isn’t.  There are too many legacy systems and failed approaches being used ‘because that is how we have always done it’ to expect real change to flourish.  This is true as a nonprofit community, and for individual organizations.  That’s step one.

2) Break the big pieces into small ones.  By reviewing everything you open up the possibility of considering everything.  You can break the big systems down into little pieces — each goal can be isolated, each strategy left to stand on its own, each tactic able to be considered in a very narrow, specific context.  When each challenge, each opportunity and each approach is on its own two things happen: a) you can more easily prioritize and organize what you are doing, and b) you can determine what is working and what isn’t more easily.

3) Put the pieces back together. No single activity or goal, no matter how exciting, will have a significant impact on its own.  Everything is connected.  And each piece plays a very specific role - they compliment each other, they expand the reach and impact of whatever came before them.  When we put the pieces back together, and look at the whole picture of what needs to happen and the steps required to get from start to finish, we have a chance to do some real damage.  So step three is to start to re-connect the pieces, and understand the relationships that exist between individual areas of focus, goals, the roles and responsibilities of those involved, the actions we all take, and the outcome we are seeking.

4) Divide and conquer.  Right now, we mostly compete - for attention, for dollars, for ownership and control.  Collaboration is nice.  But in reality, to realize change we have to divide and conquer.  We need to distribute responsibility and ensure that the necessary talent, energy and focus is applied to each of the key pieces along the path towards change.  So, rather than invite people to participate, or throw open the challenge so that everyone can meet, we need to clearly identify the specific things that need to be figured out, at all levels, and make sure someone takes responsibility for each (and is held accountable).  Until we all get out of our own way, not to mention each other’s, we won’t get anywhere.

5) Evolve. The last, and perhaps most important aspect of my theory of change, is change itself.  Evolution.  We have to grow.  We have to try things and fail, but be comfortable in getting up and trying again.  We have to be willing to accept that mistakes are part of the process of change, and embrace the fear, anxiety and difficulty that comes with doing new things.  We have to be patient, and self-aware (or aware with help from others) so we can apply the lessons to our work in real-time.  That will allow us to improve, our work and our plans, and the whole movement can evolve.

My theory of change is that you have to start by changing everything.  You have to start by looking at everything we are doing, accepting it isn’t working, and start fresh.  That doesn’t mean throw everything out, it means look at the game film and find the good stuff.  It means ask tough questions.  It means challenge existing assumptions.  It means nothing that we are doing is working exactly as we had hoped and nobody who is doing anything is without a need for change.

Until we do that, things might look different, but nothing will change.  That’s my theory anyway.

What do you think?  Go post your own theory on Beth’s blog (not that you need a reason, but you might win a really neat prize too).

TAGS : Beth Kanter Department of Ideas HP Theory of Change
leave a comment