CORE CONCEPTS
Four Transformations Strategies
Often people are working for change with a similar desired outcome and vision, but get in conflict about what to do to realize it. Often the fight is over whether to take one of four generic strategies, when all the strategies are necessary. But how to collaborate between them is complex.
Analyzing transformations in terms of two prevalent dynamics has led to understanding that there are four transformation strategies. One dynamic is the spectrum from destruction to creation. Extreme destruction might be depicted as replacement of horse transport with motorized; less extreme forms might include the rejection of a traditional social value or the breakup of a company. The extreme of creation is captured by the birth of a whole new societal order, while a less extreme form of creation might be the formation of a company or the adoption of a new social practice.
A second dynamic is the spectrum of confrontation to collaboration. The extreme of confrontation is war, but there are many less confrontational actions, such as those of Greenpeace activists. At the collaboration extreme, consider the facilitation of deep mutual respect and common commitment in a group that is working together to realize a change goal through transcendence of diverse perspectives, similar to the Forest Stewardship Council‘s work.
All transformations involve the four strategies. However, there are big questions about their interactions and respective importance. Moreover, since transformations are highly dynamic, the answers to these questions will evolve over time and context.
Understanding the distinctive characteristics of the four transformation strategies provides insights about how they interact. These characteristics mean that those in each strategy will relatively easily form a cohesive group, but that those in different groups will not so easily work together. When bringing together those in different strategies, particular attention should be given to the benefits for each group from doing so. For example, those in the Directing Change strategy of legacy organizations may find value in adopting innovations that those in the Doing Change entrepreneurial strategy.
Distinctive characteristics of these strategies are described in the table above.
Six lessons are identified for those working on transformation:
- Each of the four strategies can contribute critically to one transformation.
- Particular transformations emphasize a particular strategy.
- As a transformation progresses, the comparative importance of each
strategy changes. - The particular circumstances and environment that a transformation
confronts determine the order of the strategies and their interaction. - Enabling environments support experimentation and the creation
of networks. - Each strategy requires distinct competencies.
Source: Waddell, Steve. 2018. “Four Strategies for Large Systems Change.” Stanford Social Innovation Review (Spring.):42-47.
