4 Key Elements of a Systems Strategic Framework for Change

Healthcare leaders struggling with complex challenges often ask me, “I need to get to consensus with cross-disciplinary partners on what to do with X (problem, opportunity, uncertain future) and how to move it forward...together. Where do I even begin?”

To bridge the gap between strategy, culture, and execution, here’s a strategic framework I’ve assembled over the years, in collaborative iteration, rooted in systems thinking and human-centered design that is effective at both the organizational and sub-system levels.

In systems theory, entities consist of purpose, connections, and components. Organizations typically assume they have alignment around purpose, so instead they focus on addressing components. This approach falls short though for adaptive challenges that lack quick fixes.

Here are the 4 key elements of the Systems Strategic Framework:

1️⃣ Purpose Statement: Define why you exist and for whom. It guides everything, including sub-systems.

2️⃣ Core Values: Create actionable principles that allow for sub-system translation.

3️⃣ Differentiated Proof Points: Highlight what makes you uniquely valuable and qualified, especially in the consumer’s eyes.

4️⃣ Principal Conditions for Success: Define what success looks like and how to get there from multiple constituent perspectives.

The key to bringing your purpose to life is an honest look at your principal conditions for success. These are the drivers that will make or break your ability to achieve your desired purpose consistently with those closest to its delivery.

Here’s the essence of what you need to assess with candor:
- What does success look like from many perspectives?
- What must be true for all to live your purpose, values, and differentiators?
- Do your teams help shape the change process?
- Are you open to changing your perspective (or your mind)?
- Have you empowered and invested in your people based on feedback?

Co-creating and committing to these with partners will facilitate the implementation of cascading solutions.

If you’ve co-created and committed all of these with your partners (your people), the implementation of cascading components (solutions) should be fundamentally easier.

Let me know what you think, if you have questions, or if you try it!

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Hi, I’m Joel Worthington, and I help service-oriented, intrapreneurial leaders harness the power of collaboration and subject matter expertise to elevate the value of cross-disciplinary teams and partners.

Email me at joel@jwcollaborative.com to connect about #collaboration #codesign #humancentereddesign #facilitation #coaching and #coachsulting