c a y . n i t m u m o c k c r a m a a w . t w w U P S I D E D O W N T H I N K I N G A A D A N C E S I T I U N M O M C N T R A I B R V O E C T I R , D E N G R M O L K H A R M
Upside Down Thinking
T H I N K I N G U P S I D E D O W N I S N O T N E W Free Writing
Thinking Difgerently is ofuen about breaking the rules
Thinking Difgerently is about disruptjng the status quo
What stops us from thinking well together?
WHAT STOPS US FROM • We don’t really know each other. THINKING WELL • We’re doing just fjne. A few small changes TOGETHER? is all we need • Hierarchy or perceptjons of it. • Fear of thinking the “wrong” stufg • Comfort is where I am at. • Wantjng to belong, not be an outlier. • Laziness • Prefer predictability and homogeneity. • Either-or habit.
Story Teller Visually Minded Systems-Oriented Pair up: Associative Share how your approach to Logical thinking can be an asset to a WHAT KIND OF Lateral group… And then talk about THINKER ARE Organizer what kind of thinker YOU? Builder frustrates you the most and Intuitive/Creative why? Linear/Sequential Visionary
THINKING WELL TOGETHER IS ABOUT Diversity (the mix) and Inclusion (the mixture)
THINKING WELL TOGETHER T h i n k i n g w e l l t o g e t h e r i s We understand through thinking. about engaging with Understanding is not about Agreement. one another about the Collaboratjve Thinking is not about Either-Or. multjple truths in the world. It is about Either-AND-Or.
We create our own environment.
FOCUS: 4 TYPES OF THINKING DIFFERENTLY • DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION • TURNING NORMS UPSIDE DOWN • WICKED QUESTIONS • UPSIDE DOWN THINKING: HERETICAL PROPOSITIONS
DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION Disruptjve innovatjon is about creatjng new products and services as well as technologies that either provides a low cost alternatjve to “forgotuen” consumers in a market or a new ofgering to a new market. “Disruptjve” does not mean to cause chaos or disorder, but rather denotes “replacing” the usual or the norm with something new that people will buy.
DOMINANT PLAYERS AND THE DISRUPTORS Dominant Players: • maintain innovatjon, • cater to their best customers • add features, bells and whistles • Seen to dominate the market Disruptors • Create a product or service that provides a good enough product for a lower price for the “forgotuen” customers OR • Create a product for a new market.
DOMINANT PLAYERS AND THE DISRUPTORS: NON PROFIT EXAMPLE Dominant Players: Disruptors:
TURNING “NORMS” UPSIDE DOWN NORMS INCLUDE: Purpose, Key Features, Key Benefjts, Value Propositjon, Brand Image….
Upside Down Thinking Soda is expensive. Soda Norms It tastes bad. Soda is inexpensive. It’s practjcal. It tastes good. It energizes. It’s cool and fun. It’s refreshing.
Upside Down Thinking Don’t see the client. Car Rental Norms No paperwork. Have to see client. Rent by the hour or longer. Paperwork is necessary. Minimal Choice, low fees. Rent by the day or longer. Many Choices, various prices
Upside Down Thinking Housing First Norms (Edmonton) House any homeless person. Prevent Homelessness House the Chronically Homeless First Just do it ourselves. Formal Collaboratjon Across many teams. Go to where the homeless are. Centralized Intake Housing the homeless is the only focus. Refer out for support. Provide a range of supports directly from team/ case management Minimal process, minimal paperwork. Complex system dependent on signifjcant Cheaper than Housing First data collectjon to “prove” success. COMMUNITY Cheaper than homelessness. OHT BRIDGE
T u r n i n g n o r m s u p s i d e d o w n : C o m m u n i t y B r i d g e Conventjonal Emergency Funds The Community Bridge Low ceiling for fjnancial help. No preconceived ceiling. Help only available once. Come again if you need to. Proof of need requires documentatjon. Only criteria: evictjon is imminent. Time consuming process. Rapid fjre engagement. No other support provided. Help and support provide during and afuer. Rules-based decision-making. People-fjrst decision-making. Focus on people who will cheat. Focus on people who need help
What are your norms? PAIR AND SHARE What could you learn, What are some NORMS understand and/or create about board meetjngs or by turning them upside board governance? down?
B O A R D M E E T I N G S Conventjonal Board Meetjngs Upside down norms We have a pre-set agenda to address. We have agenda-less meetjngs guided by a few questjons or a theme We focus on reviewing fjnancials We focus on discussing capacity We focus on statjstjcs We focus on stories We all sit around one table We break into small groups or dyads We focus on policy We explore innovatjon We limit the executjve director We liberate the executjve director Stewardship is about costs Stewardship is about changing lives
E D I S P U N W O D G N I K N I H T D E K C I W D N A S N O I T S E U Q
WICKED QUESTIONS Provocatjve inquiry that has no simple answer, if it has an answer at all.
W I C K E D Q U E S T I O N S Example: How can we commit to achieving outcomes while remaining open to the possibility we are measuring the wrong outcomes?
W i c k e d Q u e s t i o n | E x a m p l e s How do we change or dismantle systems that we are required to implement and control? How can I authentjcally promote DIVERSITY when I have litule if any understanding of, or connectjons with, the people and groups I want to include?
Upside Down Thinking is a heretical proposal. Upside Down Thinking is about breaking out of, or breaking through, conventional thought. It’s about refusing to be limited by logic or “what’s been proven.” The status quo is its enemy.
UDT EXAMPLES Outcomes and Logic models destroy creatjvity and innovatjon. Duplicatjon of Services is a GOOD thing. We need lots more of it.
UPSIDE DOWN THINKING PRINCIPLES • Seek, not sweep, truth under the • Go against the grain carpet • Reject your “religion” • Invite the outsider, the boat rocker • Turn problems into solutjons and vice • Work with hidden agendas versa • Make the negatjve positjve • Suspend hierarchy • See the obstacle(s) as the path • Point fjngers at possibilitjes
EXAMPLES OF HERETICAL PROPOSITIONS: MUSEUMS • Museums are a waste of tjme. You don’t learn anything useful there. What are some • Museum exhibits should be designed by comedians, dancers, and NORMS poets. about Museums? • 15 year olds be on the boards of museums. • Forget the past. Museums should be only about the future. • Museums should be about solving today’s social problems. • Museums should be gifu shops and exhibits a marketjng strategy.
EXAMPLES OF HERETICAL PROPOSITIONS: NON-PROFITS • All the atuentjon we pay to ensuring Diversity is “in the room” has increased the stereotyping and marginalizatjon of people. • Social inclusion is our way of ensuring an acceptable amount of social exclusion. • Intake criteria are the rules we create to say “NO” to those we don’t want to help • Volunteer programs have destroyed people’s desire to help others. • Funders should apply to agencies to deliver their funding..
O T H E R E X A M P L E S O F HERETICAL PROPOSITIONS • Agendas are tools we use to avoid talking about what really matuers. • We need a maximum wage and it should be set by low income people. • The Child Tax Credit is a subsidy to employers and allows them to keep wages low and maximize profjts. • Public Consultatjons should be called Public Manipulatjons. • The purpose of subsidies is to make those who don’t need them feel good about themselves
UPSIDE DOWN THINKING STEPS ACT DECIDE Plan. TRANSPOSE Act. Choose Learn. CONVERGE what Act…. Turn the matuers PROVE Proof into most to Organize, Strategies act on. IDENTIFY Combine, for Identjfy Find Change Statements Themes Start with a of PROOF. heretjcal proposal Heretical Thinking as a Tool for Change
DISCUSSION PROVE THIS HERETICAL PROPOSITION TO BE TRUE: BOARDS ARE WHY AGENCIES ARE INEFFECTIVE AND INEFFICIENT. HERE’S THE PROOF…
This is what the goose did to land in tumultuous winds. In other words, turning itself upside down served as an act of “whiffming” which allowed the bird to overcome the wind and land safely.
ABOUT MARK HOLMGREN • Director of Vibrant Communitjes with Tamarack Instjtute • CEO of two Inner City Agencies devoted to ending poverty and homelessness. • Strategy and change consultant for more than 20 years. • Former executjve stafg at two United Ways. • Project Developer of numerous supportjve housing ventures. • Blogs ofuen about strategy, innovatjon, collaboratjon, and upside down thinking. • Researcher, Analyst, Advocate. • Tamarack Instjtute “Thought Leader.” for three years. • Instructor at two universitjes. • Published poet and fjctjon writer with dozens of publicatjon credits. • Singer/Songwriter/Musician • Partner, Father, Son • Chicken soup maker. www.vibrantcanada.ca www.markholmgren.com @mjholmgren on Twituer
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