1. NAVIGATING SYSTEMS CHANGE

2. We draw from our experience for this.
STEPHANIE JACOBS
ISADORA TABUE
JEN MEIN
DIANA BECK
SOOK JIN ONG
We’re from the PNLC.
We draw from our experience for this.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

3. ACTIVITY What are systems? How does change happen in systems?
What’s your personal agency to make shifts in the system?
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

4. Let’s Begin… Introduce yourself to your tablemates.
Describe the system you are apart of.
What are we talking about when we are talking about systems? Some systems you might think of are family systems. Or our bodies are systems and have systems within them. For today, we are thinking about the external systems where various entities are interconnected to address social issues. Like our education system, our healthcare system, our the judicial system.
On your table there are several squares. On one of the squares:
Write down your name.
Write down what system you’re in.
Introduce yourself to your tablemates.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

5. reflection of culture, people, place Resourcefulness
There are lots of metaphors for systems to help explain them. Today, we’re going to use the example that systems are like mosaics. On the screen are different examples of mosaics from across the world. Mosaics are:
reflection of culture, people, place
Resourcefulness
break to build again
don’t waste
made from various items
each individual piece matters
you find it in many places
step back to build as a whole
Also occur in nature like pieces of ice against a river, etc).
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

6. IN YOUR GROUP, COMPLETE ALL 5 SQUARES
ROUND 1: GOAL
IN YOUR GROUP, COMPLETE ALL 5 SQUARES
RULES
No member may speak
No member may ask another member for a piece or in any way signal another person to give them a piece
Each of your tables has an envelope which contains pieces for forming squares. When you are signaled to begin, the task of your group is to form five squares of equal size. The task will not be complete until each member of the group has before them a perfect square of the same size (more than one if the group is smaller than 5 people).
There are two specific rules that are imposed upon your group during this exercise:
No member may speak
No member may ask another member for a piece or in any way signal that another person is to give him/her a piece. (Group members may voluntarily give pieces to other members)
One of you will sit out from this activity to be a rule enforcer. You want to make sure each participant observes the following rules:
There is to be no talking, pointing, or any other kind of communicating
Participants may give pieces directly to other participants but may not take pieces from other members
Participants may not put their pieces in the center for others to take
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

7. ROUND 1: DEBRIEF
What was your experience and how did you feel while doing it?
What did you observe? How did you feel about your role?
Let’s hear from the puzzle builders first. What was your experience? How did you feel while doing it?
How willing were you to give away your pieces?
Was there a turning point for your group?
Did anyone try and violate the rules by talking or pointing as a means of helping fellow members to solve the problem?
Let’s hear from the enforcers. What did you observe? How did you feel about your role?
What did you perceive about yourself, and how does that relate to your role in systems change.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

8. Sit in uncertainty - immerse yourself in complexity.
Have a nimble mind and heart – learn, practice, reflect with others.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

9. COMPLETE SQUARES OF THE SAME COLOR
ROUND 2: GOAL
COMPLETE SQUARES OF THE SAME COLOR
Ask each person to pick a completed square from their table.
Once they did, tell them that if they have a piece of a particular color, they are ascribed a certain ‘power’ for each color in their square:
Red - Can talk
Blue - Use left hand only
Yellow - Must stay seated
White - No additional rules or limitations
Black - No additional rules or limitations
There is no bending of the pieces. No tucking them under other pieces.
RULES
Red - Can talk
Blue - Use left hand only
Yellow - Must stay seated
White - No additional rules or limitations
Black - No additional rules or limitations
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

10. ROUND 2: DEBRIEF
What did you perceive about the advantages or limitations you were given?
Did you actively engage in solving the problem, or did you let those with fewer constraints take the lead?
What was your experience? How did you feel while doing it?
You were given different and uneven constraints in this round. What did you perceive about the advantages or limitations you were given?
Some of you were given conflicting constraints. Which did you choose to follow?
Did you actively engage in solving the problem, or did you let those with fewer constraints take the lead?
Do you feel like you needed to win or approaching this as a competition? What are you noticing about the unconscious culture that influences the way you are approaching this simulation? What assumptions are you making about the goals other than completing the squares?
What did you perceive about yourself, and how does that relate to your role in systems change.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

11. Build and hold onto trust, hope, and identity to guide you.
Pioneers need to step out and name what needs to change.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

12. FORM A COLLECTIVE PIECE WITH ALL SQUARES
ROUND 3: GOAL
FORM A COLLECTIVE PIECE WITH ALL SQUARES
RULES
Squares can not touch another square of the same color on their sides.
This round, their goal is to bring all squares together to form a collective piece like a mosaic with the rule:
Arrange the squares so they are not touching another square of the same color on their sides
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

13. ROUND 3: DEBRIEF
Compared to other rounds, what is your sense of accomplishment with this round?
How empowered did you feel as an individual actor in a complex system?
What was your experience? How did you feel while doing it?
Compared with the other rounds, what is your sense of accomplishment with this round?
How empowered did you feel as an individual actor in a complex system?
What did you perceive about yourself, and how does that relate to your role in systems change.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

14. SMALL GROUP DEBRIEF
How does your identity and perspective impact the choices you make?
How do the choices you make affect a system’s design?
Turn to those around you, and form a group of three or four, and have these discussions.

15. Systems decisions and policies are made by people, and can be changed by people.
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018

16. Thank You Navigating Systems Change BushCONNECT 2018 STEPHANIE JACOBS
ISADORA TABUE
JEN MEIN
DIANA BECK
SOOK JIN ONG
Navigating Systems Change
BushCONNECT 2018