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Voice & Echo
welcome to …
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introductions
•Who you are•Where you are from•What interests you about
today’s session
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what I hope you will go away with
• An understanding of ‘Voice’ and ‘Echo’ and what it can offer you
• A clearer idea of your position to influence and where you want to be in terms of influence
• Some thoughts about what needs to happen for you to be more influential
• Introducing ‘Dynamo’
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what does ‘influence’ mean?
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method – ways we influence
quality – what helps us to influence
outcome – what happens as a result of influence
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influence as….
outcome• are listened to• are taken more seriously• have an effect on somebody or
something• cause something to happen:
shape the direction of change• know what happens as a result
of your input• know what’s going on• better decisions are made
method• Share information, learning and
achievements • Coach, encourage, guide and support
others• Earn respect in order to be listened to• Develop useful links and positive
contacts • Provide gentle direction towards
agreed aim• Exert pressure when needed • Communicate and persuade others –
negotiate• Enforce legal and statutory
requirements
quality• Power and authority • Experience and knowledge • Reputation for getting things done• Being a catalyst • Well connected • Courage to stand up for what you
believe in
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No influence
A lot of influence
Voice
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horizontal axis:how much influence do you feel
your group has?
No influence
A lot of influence
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vertical axis: capacity to influence
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The group is well organised and has done a lot of work around empowerment of members. But the group is trying to change things – or attitudes – that are fixed. Being here feels frustrating and powerless – the group is banging on a locked door and may need to reconsider what it wants to influence or its approach
The group is well organised. This is a positive experience – the group feels influential and powerful and the doors are open to it
You feel powerless and as if there is little hope of changing anything. You are not working very well together as a group and there are no openings for your issues. You may need to reconsider what you want to influence or your approach to it.
You have low expectations – although these may be realistic for the capacity of your group. You need to organise more collectively – as a group. The political climate is likely to be favourable to your work
No influence
A lot of influence
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People:
have the confidence to question
feel able to take risks
contribute to discussions and feel listened to
feel that – as a group - they can change things
recognise and celebrate achievements
Step 3 willing to have a go
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The group:
makes contact and builds strategic relationships with
organisations working around similar issues from different
perspectives
promotes good relations between groups / organisations
brings own distinctive voice to an alliance
links with other networks / organisations– identifies
common concerns, agrees common strategies and knows
the issues they are working with
develops and maintains links to national bodies
Step 8 links with others to influence
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The symbols are about:
increasing people’s skills, knowledge and confidence
including people – not excluding them
bringing people together around common issues and concern
building positive relationships across different groups and networks
leading to communities taking part and influencing decisions, services and activities
getting the most from ‘Voice’
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where is your group on the vertical axis?
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No influence
A lot of influence
Where you are on Voice
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Echo
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the ability to affect/bring about changechanging a decisionchanging a mind-set
influencing a climate of opinionshaping ideas
feeding in informationbeing heard
views being taken into accountsetting an agenda
providing opportunities for engagementdialogue
In any given context, ‘community influence’ can be about:
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It’s not easy to define
“the power to shape or influence ideas is one of the most significant powersthere is, though tracing the precisenature and course of such influence israrely easy”
Carnegie: Power moves, exploring power and influence in the UK, 2008
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communities i belong to ……
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why ‘community influence’ matters:
Responsibilities as a public agency
• We are public servants / communities are tax payers• Statutory obligation / it is our core business
Achieving better outcomes - for communities and agencies
• Helps me test what we are doing• Listening to those who don’t always speak / so lone voices don’t
skew our priorities• Bottom up intelligence
Doing the job better
• Leads to more appropriate services• Gives communities ownership / gives agencies legitimacy• Builds communities understanding - and community cohesion • Promotes more trust between communities and agencies, citizens &
communities
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benefits of working in empowering ways
• better quality services and outcomes for individuals and communities
• innovation and creativity
• reduced conflict
• access to new resources and expertise
• sustainability of outcomes
• enhanced motivation among front-line staff
• improvements in inclusion and cohesion
• increased accountability to the public
• positive outcomes for the individuals involved
In Ipsos Mori Social Research Institute, Searching for the Impact of Empowerment, July 2008, p23
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what we mean by
“community empowerment”
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it’s all about influence ….
The ‘voice’ The ‘echo’
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A lot of potential to respond to community influence
No potential to respond to community influence
Closed to community
influence
Open to community influence
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A lot of potential to respond to community influence
No potential to respond to community influence
6
5
4
3
2
1
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Factors impacting on an agency’s potential to respond to community influence
National government: external inspection, timetables, legislation
Targets
Structures: service delivery models, communication
Understanding concepts: collective understandings, workable understandings across sectors
Political machinery: structures and cultures
The law: health & safety, compliance, procurement
Funding and limited resources
Major events: economic downturn
Strategic options: hard choices
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score these factors
If they get in the way a lot – give them a ‘1’
If they help a lot – give them a ‘6’for example:
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…is aspirational –positive direction of travel – a journey
…illustrates a shift from doing things to communities to doing things with
communities
Horizontal axis…
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1 Closed to influence 2 Respond to individuals 3 Make contact with people 4 Change focus to groups and communities 5 Recognise the value of community influence 6 Recognise the possibilities for influence 7 Support communities to influence 8 Work together 9 Change how we do things 10 Open to influence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Closed to influence Open to influence
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The horizontal axis
…can provide the space to share opinions, evidence and ideas about the state of play within an agency or a partnership in relation to how open or closed they are to community influence
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A lot of potential to respondto community influence
No potential to respond to community influence
Closed to community influence Open to community influence
This could be quite an exciting and interesting place to be as it is up to the agency to choose to move things forward.OR – it may feel frustrating as the ‘engine’ of the agency stops you from moving forwards. Leadership may be weak and staff feel like their job involves a lot of work and no action.There may be little accountability and so an increased need for scrutiny, checks and balances
This feels like a creative agency with space to take risks. Service delivery meets needs, the organisation is outcome driven and responsive to change. Staff experience tremendous job satisfaction. The agency is transparent and accountable.Additionally, staff may need a challenge to avoid complacency and there may be a responsibility on the agency to share learning and lead by example
This feels frustrating but hopeful – there may be little money or political will but agencies have good relationships with communities and could help them to try different approaches which would reduce the constraint on the agency. There may be security in routine for staff and continuity for the public. Agencies want to find solutions and have the creativity to make suggestions – they may need to work at winning hearts and minds
This feels like there is no public presence and so no accountability. The agency is number-crunching and robotic. It is a dispiriting place to be.To the outside world, the agency may appear arrogant, superior, uncaring and distant. It is likely to be a risk averse organisation which feels safe and comfortable for senior staff.
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A lot of potential to respond to community influence
No potential to respond to community influence
Closed to community
influence
Open to community influence
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DYNAMO
introducing
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A lot of potential to respond to priorities
No potential to respond to priorities
Agents want things to be different
Agents influence
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e.g. Political; Economic; Social; Technological; Environmental; Legal; Structural;
identifying the factors which impact on your agency’s potential to respond to priorities?
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plotting on the vertical
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10 positions on the horizontal axis
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Agents want things to be different
Agents influence
the horizontal
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the horizontal in more detailStep 1 Want things to be different
Step 2 Know the story – why it matters
Step 3 Willing to think about working differently
Step 4 Clarify outcomes
Step 5 Link with others you want to work with
Step 6 Know the political landscape – levers and barriers
Step 7 Plan who, what and when to influence – develop a strategy
Step 8 Link with others outside the organisation
Step 9 Choose how to influence
Step 10 Influence
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Step 1 – Want things to be different
o Feel isolated, powerless, frustrated within their organisation
o Want their views on to be heard o Have a sense of social justice o Talk to others about their concerns and
ideas o Feel that others share their views
Agents:
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Step 6 – Know the political landscape
o Know what impacts on their agency’s potential
to respond to priorities
(vertical axis)
• Map their barriers and assists to influence
o Know their audience – what drives them and
what would hook them in
o Find out the facts
Agents:
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Step 10 – Influence
o Are consulted and asked opinions o Are involved in the process of shaping priorities o Can identify their contribution o Are invited to chair/facilitate subject-relevant
meetings o Are encouraged and supported by senior staff to
take part in different forao Provide feedback which is sought and valued o See desired changes arising from their challenges o Systems are changedo People own the (e.g. equalities) agendao People understand the issues around equalitieso Budgets support equalitites priorities
Agents:
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the horizontalStep 1 Want things to be different
Step 2 Know the story – why it matters
Step 3 Willing to think about working differently
Step 4 Clarify outcomes
Step 5 Link with others you want to work with
Step 6 Know the political landscape – levers and barriers
Step 7 Plan who, what and when to influence – develop a strategy
Step 8 Link with others outside the organisation
Step 9 Choose how to influence
Step 10 Influence
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A lot of potential to respond
No potential to respond
things to be different
influence
4 quadrants
4 experiences
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What next?
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Voice & Echo Facilitator Training
• Visit http://changesuk.net/
• Visit http://www.southwestforum.org.uk/
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copyright © changes, 2010 You are free to share, to copy, distribute and transmit this presentation under the following conditions:
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ContactBerkeley Wilde, Minotaur Communications
Minotaur Communications is an independent research, evaluation and training management consultancy, specialist in equality, diversity and human rights.
Minotaur Communications works across all equalities protected categories including:• Age• Disability• Gender reassignment• Pregnancy and maternity• Race• Religion or belief• Sex• Sexual orientation
Minotaur Communications works throughout the UK.
Contact
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