Exploring respectful ways to move forward among a collective when a challenge presents itself. 

We are now 17 weeks into our Mission to our cups of tea meet-ups.  We are enjoying the open space for people to bring in concepts they need help with.  This week was no exception and again we dove into another complex topic and each supported what came to mind as food for thought on the topic brought to the table.  

The Issue

A collective group has an emerging challenge involving two distinct factions. These factions are represented by an advisory group positioned between them. The initial idea was for individuals to share the advisory role by rotating membership, but some have decided they prefer to remain in the advisory group.  The challenge arises from the initial purpose of rotating membership of the advisory group, especially to provide opportunities for underrepresented groups or individuals.

The Struggle

The main struggle is to find a respectful way to move forward that aligns with the original intention for membership of the group.

Some Clarifying Questions Asked

• Was there a shared aspiration for this concept initially?
• Is it an organisation, and does it follow a traditional organisational structure?

Input from the Collective

• Observational Capacity: Perhaps if they want to stay on, they can only stay in an observational capacity. They cannot have any verbal contribution to the meetings. They can still see what's going on, but they have to take a backseat. That means everyone can stay on but the ability to speak and contribute rotates.
• Exploring Deviations: Investigate why the rotation policy hasn't been followed. Ask about what's happened to the rotation policy, and why it's not being followed. What are the reasons behind it? Get people to express views, that style of thing, and see what comes out of it.
• Defining Guiding Values: Encourage participants to collectively articulate the core values that define the group. Get people to start to define the values and thoughts that guide you to being what you are.
• Identifying Leverages and Blocks: Examine structural and behavioural factors that may hinder the transition to a more inclusive structure. Some may aspire to a flatter structure but default to traditional approaches. - ’Where are the leverages between what is possible and what's potentially blocking people? In either the structure or because I noticed it in my work, I work with a lot of people who have aspirations to have more of a flat structure. And they don't do that. So this group has that on paper, in their dreams and their aspirations, but their actions default to the traditional ways that we, yeah, either lead or make decisions or advise. And so that's part of the problem. It’s a wicked problem’.
• Untangling Motivations: Support individuals in understanding their motivations for wanting to maintain their roles. - Clarifying purpose, supporting people to untangle what is happening and why they want to stay there.
• Interactive Workshopping: Organise workshops to create a relaxed atmosphere and disarm potential tensions. - Do some other workshops to take the seriousness out of it, to disarm people, and to shine the spotlight on the problem rather than people.
• Framework Analysis: Use tools like SWOT analysis or PMI (Plus Minus Interesting) to evaluate the current approach and determine next steps. - Yarn together and use a framework like SWOT analysis of the current way you do things or PMI (plus minus interesting). Get people to surmise and look at what they came up with? And ask what do you want to do from here?
• Legacy of Leadership: Investigate the true purpose and legacy of the leadership. - Clarify 'purpose' and remind ourselves of how then to ensure, 'we all deliver on' the purpose.
• Leaning on Leaders: *** *** If you have a good Chair/ leaders, you can approach them directly to gain some guidance to 'do the right thing'
• Professional Development: Establish a professional development program to ensure rotation and the associated skills required for the role.
• Doing Things With People, Not to People: The group agreed that ‘telling’ people what to do is something to avoid, and finding a way to work with people helps to keep relationships at the forefront and intact. 
• Back to Basics: Revisited the fundamental principles that underpin the group's objectives.

The theme of putting relationships first and keeping mana (integrity, essence of the person/people) intact while navigating challenges is the ultimate goal.  This can be done by prioritising time to yarn, talk through, workshop and wānanga (contemplation, yarn and think time) about the challenge, while trying not to force people to comply with what was agreed upon earlier.  At these junctures we can choose a variety of leadership skills that either build a more cooperative and cohesive group or that divide and fracture a group.  The ideas above are good, and equally important how they are delivered are also pivotal to that ambition for ‘togetherness’.

Next Week 

Keeping it consistent with another potentially complex topic, the next cuppa will also bring many world-views, approaches and ideas.  

Topic Request:

I would be interested in hearing wisdom and to explore healthy co-governance [between two people sharing a leadership role] or current examples and how they might work better, or well. You want to make it work, but it's not always easy. 

Clarifying Questions or Prompts 

Q: Is it about power-sharing?

A: I would like to explore all of it.

Q: Is it about Co-leading or Co-governance 

A: We call it co-leading - two people in Chief Executive roles that co-lead

General Questions that Arose about co-leadership:

• How do you build then strengthen the relationship between each other?
• How do you work with people with very different ways of thinking and working and worldviews? 
• What are practical ways of what you have seen that works? 
• What do you think makes co-governance or co-leadership work? 
• What structures support or present challenges for this shared role?

Another important topic to yarn about next week.   One way we often start when facilitating in Walk Together is by revisiting fundamental aspects, like aligning on roles. For instance, we could consider these guiding questions for our upcoming discussion. Whether there is alignment or difference, there will be a starting point somewhere in what is shared.  

• How do you define leadership (20 words or less)?
• How does your leadership definition impact co-leadership? Has it evolved or remained consistent?

Mauriora, 
The Walk Together Team