COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP FOR RESULTS: A PATH TOWARDS TRANSFORMATION
JENNIFER LITTLEFIELD, Doctoral Student, Assistant Director CPS Public Leadership ProgramVICTORIA GODDARD-TRUITT, PH.D., Senior Research FellowJOLIE BAIN PILLSBURY, PH.D., Senior Research Fellow
University of MarylandSchool of Public Policy
Maryland School of Public Policy
Acknowledgements
The Leadership in Action Program is implemented by The School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation
This research is supported by the School of Public Policy and the Casey Foundation
Introduction
The network literature offers many examples of the difficulty surrounding the formation and successful execution of a collaborative network.
Paper presents a framework for cross-sector collaboratives that helps communities to realize results
Analysis highlights early research on the success of this framework
Examines the pathway to transformational leadership embarked upon by multi-sector mid-to-high level leaders in a collaborative network
Outline
Theory of Aligned Contributions Four Quadrants of Aligned Actions Implementation Framework The Leadership in Action Program Research Methods Early Program Results Early Case Study Results Preliminary Conclusions Next Steps
Theory of Aligned Contributions
Four Quadrants of Aligned Actions For Results
Low Alignment High Alignment
High Action
High action that contributes to results
Does not work to be in alignment with others
High action that contributes to results
Works to be in alignment with others
Low Action
Low action that does not contribute to results
Does not work to be in alignment with others
Low action that does not contribute to results
Works to be in alignment with others
Implementation Framework
A call to action An invitation from a credible source to join and be publicly accountable A legitimizing force recognized by leaders from public & private sectors
A container A place, time, materials and support structure that creates a meeting
environment to work together. A holding environment creates a non-hierarchical, structured
environment that allows decision making process to address power imbalances while dealing with conflict
A capacity to collaborate Results-based Accountability Competency Race, Class & Culture Competency Leading from the Middle Collaborative Leadership Competency
The Leadership in Action Program (LAP) LAP is a competency-based leadership
development program that mobilizes leaders from multiple sectors and the community to rapidly accelerate results for children and families.
Launched in 2001, to date 12 LAP programs representing 14 jurisdictions across the country have completed the 14-month implementation phase.
Each LAP site is focused on a select result and identified indicators of success that include two to four years of measureable available data means.
Research Method
This study is part of a larger, mixed design project that is testing the hypotheses and exploring the efficacy of the Theory of Aligned Contributions (TOAC)
Research parameters High level qualitative and quantitative analysis Case Study
Unit of analysis for this paper is the I-LAP. Includes 28 men and 22 females; approximately 75%
Caucasian and 23% African American 75% in public or governmental agencies Result: All adult offenders in X County are successfully
reintegrated into the community.
LAP Results
1) LAP builds leaders’ capacity to make measurable progress in improving a condition of well-being
Number of State ID’s Issued to Ex-Offenders
LAP Results
2) LAP develops leadership competencies and willingness to make and keep commitments to take aligned action.
LAP Results
3) LAP develops relationships and understanding among a group of leaders and facilitates collaboration, sharing and a commitment to reduce community disparities around a condition of well-being
LAP Results
4) Participants use the skills learned in LAP in their organization and other leadership venues.
2006 Study: “Did LAP leaders use leadership skills and tools that they learned in LAP back in their home agencies?” 29 leaders out of 27 continued to use the leadership skills.
Quote from I-LAP Participant: “[Our agency is] using the seven RBA steps or questions to guide a major strategic planning piece that is city-wide. We modified and added different questions and restructured the questions to fit into the needs assessment work as well as the strategic planning. Those who were not familiar are getting more and more comfortable, so we should probably do some RBA training. This has accelerated our work.”
LAP Results5) LAP creates the capacity for leaders to have greater
influence and leverage within their communities to improve a condition of well-being.
The I-LAP TRV strategy: Analyze the data Build a relationship with judges and share the data with them Connect with best practices around having diversion strategies for TRV violations Begin to have dialogues with judges to enroll them into a understanding and
appreciation of the proposed strategy Gather low and no cost approaches to implement a pilot of the strategy in one
judge’s court Track the data from the pilot and begin to work with the judiciary to expand the
pilot to more court rooms Implementation of the pilot began in month eight of the LAP; by the tenth month
the LAPpers were able to track the number of ex-offenders who were diverted because of the implementation of the new strategy.
56 offenders were diverted from returning to the DOC by this strategies
Case Study
Analysis at the individual and group level Tracks one of the four competencies –
Race, Class, Culture
I-LAP: Race, Class, Culture
I-LAP: Race, Class, Culture
Skill One In-depth
Skill Two In-depth
Preliminary Research Conclusions Preliminary support for a theory of
aligned contributions framework Preliminary data shows individual and
group shifts in RCC competency
Next Steps
Deeper exploration of program results analysis
Expand and deepen competency analysis to all four competencies at the individual and group level
Expand analysis to more sites Comparative analysis of LAPs