The world faces some critical challenges and many are showing signs that they are not under control. Nor do our leaders, from any sector, have a plan to fix them that looks like working. Climate change, indigenous health and disadvantage, family poverty, homelessness, welfare dependence, refugees, terrorism, drug abuse, imprisonment are all growing problems, often interlinked, that seem to be unresponsive to current solutions. In fact some of our approaches seem to perversely make the situation worse. This is the typical profile of a ‘wicked problem[1]’. Many of them will threaten our quality of life and that of our children. There is no ‘gated community’ where we can escape them either.
Over the last 35 years I have worked as part of Australia’s social change sector, seeking to have a lasting positive impact on some of our most pernicious social problems. As a social entrepreneur, I can point to some proud achievements. I am also conscious that many of the problems are worse and more complex today than when I began as an idealistic social work graduate in 1974. Such a conclusion must give pause for reflection for anyone committed to evidence based practice, innovation and learning.
What follows are my current thoughts on what works, when seeking to solve or reduce some of Australia’s, (and the world’s), most wicked problems.
I believe with Bill Drayton of Ashoka[2] that this task is a critical one for every citizen, not just those working in government or civil society. We need all citizens to be changemakers. Global and domestic peace, well being and prosperity are, in my view, dependent on the work of those citizens who act beyond short-term self interest.
What Works – Some Principles for Practice
1 Understand the problem (and the system that perpetuates it) in its complexity, from the perspective of each stakeholder group
Understanding any complex social problem can take years and is likely to constantly evolve. There is no quick fix or silver bullet. This task requires good listening, especially to quiet voices. It also requires rigorous investigative skills and a willingness to ask dumb or unpopular questions
2 Engage those who live with the problem
Closely linked to the previous principle, this one is critical. Increasingly customers and service users are being engaged in the process of better service or solution design. The reflective or ‘expert’ user, keen for service improvement, can become a major asset to problem solving. These consumers exist in every community and are often quite insightful about the priorities and motivators for change, the preferences of users and the best method of attack. Involving service users in the leadership or design process can move the power differential so we are working ‘with’ users not doing things ‘to or for’ them which renders them passive or voiceless recipients of services. Innovation writer and speaker, Charles Leadbeater[3] has lots to say on this topic.
3 Build a cross-sector collaboration
As proposed earlier, solving social problems is an urgent national priority that no one sector can manage alone. We need government, business and civil society to each bring their expertise and special capabilities to the task and to work in respectful collaborative networks if we are to make a real impact on critical problems.
4 Engage in fresh thinking, drawing on the insights of a range of disciplines
Increasingly the skills and processes of software developers, designers and facilitators are being found to have expertise of real value in the work of social innovation.
5 Frame the problem carefully for all stakeholders
We live in an increasingly politicised world where interest groups, including the media, political parties, commercial interests and pressure groups are framing our social challenges and shaping attitudes of stakeholder communities in ways that suit their interests. The way an issue is framed in the minds of key influencers is critical and often shapes the design of solutions[4].
Despite the massive waste of taxpayers funds in spending on prisons we know this is not a cost effective solution for crime. Public attitudes and fear shaped by the media and competing political parties result in the so-called ‘law and order auction’ during each election.
6 Define clear, simple, value based objectives for whole system solutions
We can’t be clear about solutions if we can’t define clear measures of success. The use of a logical framework[5] for linking broader objectives to the specific interventions chosen is desirable. With ‘wicked problems’ this can be challenging, and in some cases it is possible to develop a logic framework only after an intervention is found to be effective.
7 Look for models that are working at home or globally
Increasingly the business of social change is globalising, along with so many other aspects of modern life. Implementing and adapting solutions which have been highly cost-effective in other parts of the world is often a lower risk form of innovation than inventing and proving the benefits of a new solution. At present there is a need for a tool or methodology that enables high impact solutions for specified needs across the world to be identified and compared.
8 Track impact, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of alternate solutions
Whether solutions are developed locally or globally we need to track carefully the success of solutions being implemented, the cost per outcome and the unintended, as well as intended, impacts.
9 Execute pilots with excellence and adapt from experience
It has often been suggested that getting an effective innovation to market is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. In social change this is just as true. Good ideas are wasted unless they are competently executed.
10 Reflect and report openly and honestly to enable learning
Too often social innovation projects are run behind closed doors to avoid any communication that it was not an unqualified success. This is true of government as well as non-profit sector initiatives. Government agencies are seeking to avoid criticism from media or difficult questions in parliament that tax-payers funds have been wasted or misused. Nonprofits want funders to continue to support their projects. We need sources of funding for innovation that allows for learning from experiments that don’t always result in immediate success. Otherwise we will never really try new things and look for the disruptive or radical solution. Independent evaluation and transparent reporting are critical to effective learning.
11 Scale successful pilots
Almost as worrying as the lack of significant social innovation experiments is the tendency of some government agencies to run experimental programs whose successful pilots never proceed to mainstream practice. This may well be because the incumbent solution providers are too powerful.
12 Use ICT productively
Technology enables resource starved organisations to source ideas, tap the expertise of others across the world, secure financial and other resources, track program results and report on it to diverse stakeholders. In some cases, such as Inspire Foundation’s Reach Out website[6] for young people seeking help, it will also provide a central part of the solution.
13 Leadership matters
There is often confusion in the use of the terms ‘social innovation’, ‘social entrepreneur’ and social enterprise’. In my view a simple example would be that ‘micro lending’ is the innovation, Mohammed Unis is the well-known entrepreneur in this field, and his social enterprise was the Grameen Bank. Many social enterprises do not deliver social innovation. The role of entrepreneurial leaders in the process is often critical, as in any form of innovation.
In their article on Mahatma Gandhi in the October 2009 issue of Venture Dispatches, Lindley Edwards and Martin Paech[7] discuss an approach to leadership that contrasts to the ‘conquering hero’ model so pervasive in modern Western thinking. In my view the facilitative or ‘servant leader’ approach is the one needed for effective social entrepreneurship and innovation. We need more leaders in the mould of Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Mandela.
I look forward to engaging with others in conversation on how we can collaborate in the vital task of social innovation to build better futures for Australian and global communities.
About the Author
Steve Lawrence is CEO of the Australian Social Innovation Exchange, created to find fresh solutions to Australia’s social challenges through cross-sector collaboration. He also consults in Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
For the past 29 years until 2009, Steve was Founder, CEO and Social Entrepreneur with WorkVentures, based in Sydney. Started with a $3000 loan, WorkVentures has revenues around $20million and places hundreds of unemployed Australians in jobs each year.
Over 35 years Steve has also played a key role in creating over 13 non-profit organisations. They include WorkVentures, JOB futures, United Way Sydney, Jobs Australia, Social Ventures Australia, School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia.
In 2004 Steve received the Social Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for NSW & ACT.
Contact – steve.lawrence@asix.org.au
Engage - www.asix.org.au
[1] Australian Public Service Commission Tackling Wicked Problems: A Public Policy Perspective 2007 http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications07/wickedproblems.htm
[2] Bill Drayton Everyone a Changemaker Ashoka 2006 http://www.ashoka.org/files/innovations8.5×11FINAL_0.pdf
[3] Charles Leadbeater The Art of With March 2009 http://www.charlesleadbeater.net/cms/xstandard/The%20Art%20of%20With%20PDF.pdf
[4] Bales & Gilliam Communications for Social Good Foundation Center Practice Matters http://www.foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/practicematters_08_paper.pd
[5] AusAid The Logical Framework Approach Australian Government Oct 2005 http://www.ausaid.gov.au/ausguide/pdf/ausguideline3.3.pdf
[7] Lindley Edwards & Martin Paech – Group CEO, AFG Venture Group and CEO, Zaffyre International Venture Dispatches Oct 2009
Copyright 2009, Steve Lawrence, Australian Social Innovation Exchange. All rights reserved. All material in this article is the Intellectual Property of Steve Lawrence, Australian Social Innovation Exchange and cannot be reproduced, copied, published, quoted or disseminated without the prior permission of Steve Lawrence, Australian Social Innovation Exchange.
Tags: social ventures
[...] Solving ‘Wicked’ Social and Environmental Problems – some reflections from a social change pra… [...]