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The Dance of Leadership: A framework for implementation in child welfare 

The Dance of Leadership: A framework for implementation in child welfare . Presented to the Regional Forum of the Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center April 12, 2011 Katharine Cahn, PhD, MSW Leadership Academy for Middle Managers, NCWWI

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The Dance of Leadership: A framework for implementation in child welfare 

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  1. The Dance of Leadership: A framework for implementation in child welfare  Presented to the Regional Forum of the Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center April 12, 2011 Katharine Cahn, PhD, MSW Leadership Academy for Middle Managers, NCWWI Portland State University School of Social Work Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services cahnk@pdx.edu (503) 725-8122

  2. Goal: giving you a framework for success in implementation • Setting the stage (context) • A framework for implementation from the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) • Applications and adaptations for child welfare from other research • A hopeful note

  3. The Context • Permanent white water • Bureaucracies are hard wired to stabilize, institutionalize (resist change) • Child Welfare as a field has evolved • We have learned from that evolution and can offer a framework.

  4. Bureaucracies Change Slowly • Bureaucracies are designednot to change • Stability is rewarded • Creativity is discouraged • Partnering is difficult • Paper is more important than relationship • WHAT’S THE GOOD NEWS?

  5. … We HAVE evolved • Moving to family connections • System of care • Community engagement • Strong tribal programming • We’re learning

  6. Performance Assessment (Fidelity) Systems Intervention Coaching Facilitative Administration Training INFRASTRUCTURE COMPETENCY Decision Support Data System Selection A Framework for Implementation(drawing on Fixsen and Blasé) LEADERSHIP

  7. ENGAGING PEOPLE: inside AND outside the child welfare agency HARD-WIRING THE CHANGE (INFRASTRUCTURE) Adding some thoughts … Leadership/Vision

  8. Engaging People (Staff AND Community): important but there are challenges Challenges with Staff • This, too, shall pass” • Initiative Fatigue • We-Be’s • W-B-D-S-E’s • Resistors • Lack of trust Community • Lack of trust • No organized infrastructure to connect • Cultural differences (bureaucratic culture, child welfare culture, as well as family/agency culture)

  9. Engaging people … expanded view Agency Staff • Recruitment, selection, supportive culture (Workforce Studies) • New skills: Training, coaching and performance evaluation (NIRN) • Engagement in the initiative (implementation) Community and Family Partners • Honor and engage at case and agency levels • Build and fund partnerships at the family and agency level • Learn about one another’s agencies, tribal systems, family & community history • The dance of advocacy and learning together

  10. Findings on engaging staff • No-one likes to be told they’re doing something wrong, change is hard, uncomfortable, uncertain, annoying, (etc) • How to make it easier to change • A chance to try it out • Carrots and Sticks • Clear core principle • Concrete practices • Opportunities to own and customize (In fact we DO have to reinvent the wheel) • Celebrate success – show data, early wins • Solve a problem THEY think they have

  11. Engaging community partners • Most theories of innovation focus on what’s happening inside the agency • Key finding of research was the importance of external factors, local and state • Catalytic event / crisis to start change • Decision to collaborate – a leadership message • Engaged and funded feedback from community to sustain change • Alignment of philosophy in service delivery (need to include community partner agencies and advocate in change) • Effective leaders capitalize on external environment • Invite collaboration, understand pressure

  12. Leadership at all levels • Executive. Clear, personally involved, sustained leadership message • Mid-level management. problem solving, barrier busting, funding, supporting sups • Supervisors. marketing to staff, coaching, inspecting, supporting, praise success • Champions. Opinion leaders whochampion the change • Community advocates. Holding agency to account for the change, advocating for resources, parallel process • All: stay at the table, have a container for conflict and collaboration (Adaptive Leadership)

  13. Infrastructure:Hard-wire the change • Training is important for worker engagement, but “you can’t train your way through this” • Child Welfare is a machine: Re-tool to support innovation. • Gears have to be meshed (money and contracting flow) • Fuel must be available(resources like money) • Organizational culture must change • Design feedback loops (data) to show progress

  14. Some cautions • Beware the ‘great man’ theory of change • Honor and protect the process. • Build a leadership style and organizational culture that encourages ongoing learning • Champion ourselves and become proud of being innovative • Know what we stand for and be opportunistic (“innovation by groping along”, Golden, “emergence”, Wheatley) • It’s never done

  15. A hopeful thought “ Perhaps then, like the hummingbird who, aerodynamically speaking, cannot fly, the social agency may be capable of innovation even though, theoretically speaking, it is not.” (Gummer, 1993), p. 165

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