Emergent Learning for
Philanthropies and NonProfits

Using Emergent Learning to tackle challenging questions

– How can we sustain seasoned nonprofit leaders?

– What will it take to accomplish our outcomes in an environment that demands
    high participation and consensus?

– What will it take to shift from “after the fact” evaluations of results to a more continuous,
    real-time approach to learning to produce greater impact?

To learn more about Emergent Learning, please call Marilyn Darling at 617.242.7214 or use our contact form.

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How can we sustain seasoned nonprofit leaders?

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ (GEO) first action learning cohort of nine foundations met at the Case Foundation in Washington, DC in February, 2007. In those two days, they compared their experiences in fellowships, sabbaticals and other leadership programs, looking for insights and new ideas about how to sustain seasoned nonprofit leaders.

This peer event could have been organized around the topic of “fellowships” or “sabbaticals” or “leadership development programs.” By organizing around this larger outcome-focused framing question, foundations were able to learn from seemingly unrelated experiences.

As one participant explained it, “Initially, I only wanted to talk with people doing sabbatical programs. As it turned out, I learned most from the person who has no sabbatical program.”An outcome-oriented framing question also kept participants from getting wrapped up in the details.

Insights gained were around the real value delivered by their various programs. One of the key insights that resulted from this meeting was the value of “creative disruptions.” This led several participants to engage in a more in-depth research project, which was reported on at GEO’s 2010 conference.

See www.compasspoint.org/creativedisruption for more information.

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What will it take to accomplish our outcomes in an environment that demands high participation and consensus?

The technology team at a large medical school aspired to speed up their development process. In their heart of hearts, this team wished they could swap out their painfully slow development that required faculty consensus at every step for an “ask for forgiveness later” approach.

With Signet’s help, they used an EL Map to compare two projects in detail – one that took a full six years to complete; the other a “swat team” project that they were able to complete in six months. They were hoping to develop evidence that the swat team approach was the “best” practice. The EL Map conversation helped them realize that the solution was not to throw out A (high consensus) in favor of B (ask for forgiveness), but rather a mix of A+B – understanding when in the process consensus was critical and when they could make decisions on their own. The EL Map also helped them uncover a weak spot – the need for better up-front customer needs analysis; a failure in both projects that, if repeated, would torpedo any future project, regardless of the level of consensus involved.

Signet’s research has shown that, when it comes to complex challenges, the first lesson is often wrong, or at least incomplete. This half-day meeting allowed the team to learn an important lesson before they launched into their next project, rather than waiting to do a “post-mortem” of another failed effort, saving them thousands of dollars in development costs, as well as helping to build good will with the faculty. (back to top)

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What will it take to shift from “after the fact” evaluations of results to a more continuous, real-time approach to learning to produce greater impact?

Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has been working with Signet over the past year to engage foundation staff and stakeholders in a more forward-focused learning process.

A hallmark of Signet’s approach is to use practical tools and design learning that is just enough, just-in-time and fit-for-purpose. Using real, concrete projects and initiatives as a platform, OTF’s program and evaluation staff worked together to identify their biggest learning challenges and to re-think how they approach learning to improve impact.

Starting with a series of “Challenging Times” Community Roundtables and OTF’s strategic Future Fund, program and evaluation staff developed an emergent learning agenda – a plan to weave learning around their biggest challenges into the work itself. The staff learned how to turn challenges into effective framing questions, how to articulate the hypotheses implicit in their decisions and how to use Before- and After-Action Reviews to test hypotheses, track progress and adjust their thinking as they implemented important initiatives.

As Blair Dimock, OTF’s Director of Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Management, described it, “Using an emergent learning model, Marilyn and her colleagues were able to help us quickly assess areas of strength to build on, areas where we needed to improve our current practices, and the ongoing opportunities we have as a Foundation to learn and adapt to enhance our impact.” In the process, as Blair explains it, “both evaluation and program staff have embraced new ways of thinking about learning, and building organizational know-how, with immediate results.” (back to top)

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To learn more about Emergent Learning, please call Marilyn Darling at 617.242.7214 or use our contact form.