PRESENTATION BY: CHANGING MIND-SETS AND RELEASING CREATIVITY A toolkit for change 10 October 2014 Society of Local Council Clerks Conference Rob Francis and Tamsin Hewett, Office for Public Management CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED EXTERNAL

WHO ARE OPM? Independent research organisation and leadership consultancy Improve way services are delivered to the public – help organisations raise performance Employee owned – focus on social value and results

OUR AIMS TODAY Share with you: Ideas for how to tap into the energy of your community Examples of work OPM has done to unlock local creative capacity A practical experience of working with creative techniques

CONTEXT Across public services – do more with less. Implications for local councils: Increased role as community leaders Increased role in service delivery Increased scrutiny and expectations = High levels of change and uncertainty

RESPONDING TO THESE TAKES… 2 different things

INNOVATION Is about doing things differently It can come from thinking about how to do things better It can be borrowed from elsewhere in the organisation It can be borrowed from elsewhere in the sector – or from entirely different settings

CREATIVITY Needed when no-one else has ever done this before Part of what it is to be human.. Loosens up assumptions Unlearns Goes back to fundamentals Looks at things from another angle Asks why? Asks what if?

IS THE NECESSARY CHANGE TECHNICAL OR ADAPTIVE? Technical change: “We know how to do this”. (or) “Someone else knows how to do this”. (requires innovation) Adaptive change: “This has never happened before. We have to work it out for ourselves.” (requires creativity)

CREATIVITY NEEDS CERTAIN CONDITIONS Time to think Diversity of opinion and experience Space to explore Opportunities to experiment Learning New experiences Willingness to take risks

EXAMPLE 1: RICH PICTURES

SKETCHING THE SYSTEM A rich picture allows you to represent a complex situation or system in a visual form It conveys an impression, or many impressions of an issue or situation – not the ‘right’ answer It is a really useful group tool that can help to clarify differences in perceptions as a means to tackle an issue together

EXERCISE Your principal authority has decided to devolve the budget for all of the public services in your local area to the local council. In groups, sketch a rich picture of who you want to engage with about how it should be allocated

EXAMPLE 2: THE IDEAS FARM

IDEAS FARM: PRINCIPLES TO SET OUT AT THE START Today is about being positive and creative – it’s not about complaining or wishing it was like the old days. Today is for focusing on things you think we CAN do, rather than things we can’t. ‘We’ means all of us – not the council or someone else!

WHAT HAPPENED? People made new connections on the day which have been sustained One major project emerged from the session – to buy and reopen a former cinema – this is now the biggest & most ambitious community-led project in the area Members of the town council were encouraged to rethink their role and see how it could be more outward-facing and engaging – they have since commissioned a piece of work to shape a vision for the town in 2020

EXAMPLE 3: ASSET MAPPING

SEEING ASSETS AS WELL AS NEEDS Encouraging people to start from what we do have rather than what we don’t can help get results It makes it easier to see the steps that could make something happen It’s therefore more likely to result in an achievable solution, because it builds on what’s already there It helps people be more positive about the status quo, rather than just focusing on what’s missing If people are more positive, they will be more energised about pitching in to help

WHAT HAPPENED? One participant set up a weekly shopping trip into town for villagers, using local community transport. She also started a knit and natter group which meets regularly in the village hall. Another attendee became the village’s representative on the area’s Big Local committee, which has access to National Lottery support to build community capacity locally. She also signed up as an environmental volunteer who promotes responsible dog walking by carrying disposal bags to dole out to others. Her husband has joined the committee that oversees the community hall.

EXERCISE In groups, brainstorm different ways in which you could engage with the groups identified in your rich picture

WHAT SORTS OF CULTURES CAN SURVIVE ADAPTIVE CHANGE? Ones that.. Plan ahead – are always looking to the future Have brilliant feedback and data Are flexible, responsive able to move fast Where staff and members are engaged in thinking and challenging routinely That invest in learning and R&D With strong leadership at all levels

ANY QUESTIONS? Rob Francis Tamsin Hewett