P&P April 2016

locally speaking

By Nannette M. Bowler and Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler

Charting a Course for Change Navigating Change with Intentionality and Courage

P roviding services to families and communities is a voyage. The condition of the waters changes with federal and state mandates, budget implications, shifts in the standards of practice, gentrification, and com- munities caught in the midst of violence. Ultimately, we may not be able to predict the exact nature of the changes we face as human service organizations, but we do know that change is inevitable. Realizing that many changes are driven by external forces that are often beyond our control, we, at the Fairfax County Department of Family Services (DFS), realize the import of intention- ally developing internal capacity to mobilize staff to navigate change, whether external or internal. So, while change is not a surprise, the key to leading in times of major disruption is how we prepare our workforce for the calm times and for weathering storms. Fundamental to this preparation is assuring that they have access to the developmental opportunities and resources they need to be a cohesive team—much like the skilled crew of a ship. This involves the pre-work of building a strong founda- tion so that we are able to consistently keep our bearings. In The Leader of the Future , Harvard University’s Ronald Heifetz describes the kind of break from traditional lead- ership we at DFS have adapted when he states, “[i]magine the differences in behavior between leaders who operate with the idea that ‘leadership means “Smooth seas do notmake skillful sailors.” —AFRICAN PROVERB

influencing the organization to follow the leader’s vision’ and those who operate with the idea that ‘leadership means influencing the organization to face its problems and to live into its opportunities.’ That second idea— mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges—is what defines the new job of the leader.” 1

Whereas traditional approaches to leading change are centered on reacting to the immediacy of external influences, we have chosen to inten- tionally maximize internal change for a more long-term benefit. To be clear, we do not neglect our

See Navigating Change on page 31

Illustration by Chris Campbell/Shuttersotck

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Policy&Practice   April 2016