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The ability to DESIGN AND FACILITATE

collaborative processes is an ESSENTIAL

SKILL for leaders in today’s organizations.

test, and prototype a few top ideas that meet the design project. Afer receiving and reviewing feedback, the team
principles established at the outset; and hosted a day-long workshop in the college’s Collaborative
• Implementing the selected idea and returning to the Design Center to develop several models for governance. Te
beginning of the process to understand how the solution workshop was led by a highly skilled and deeply respected
impacts the original problem and/or the individuals facilitator from outside the college and included the co-creation
impacted by the problem/solution. of a glossary of governance terms to help build stronger
communication as well as the creation of four diferent models
Te leader(s) of a collaborative process should frst identify and of shared governance that were responsive to the established
articulate the framework to be used to help solve a particular design principles.
problem. By outlining the broad steps of the process, the leader
will begin to make transparent the opportunities and methods Te four possible models were considered by the college
for engaging in the conversation. In the shared governance president who refected on the initial feedback, design
redesign case, the team followed a design thinking approach principles, and the features/design of each model. Taking the
and began frst by collecting information to understand the full best features from each model, he crafed a fnal draf model
scope of the challenge, how individuals who interacted with to share for a fnal round of review. Te president held an open
the system experienced the work, and the concerns underlying town hall meeting on each of Valencia’s fve campuses where
a review of such an important system to transparency and he hand-drew the draf design (conveying that the model was
engagement at the college. Te team gathered data through not fnal and deep feedback was welcome). All employees were
surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, and even engaged invited to the town hall meetings to hear about the draf model
a few retirees who had been instrumental in developing the in person and ofer feedback on the design. Afer the town halls
original system. Tis approach allowed the team to develop were complete and all feedback reviewed, the president shared
a view of the design challenge from multiple perspectives, the fnal design with the college via a quick draw animation
allowed for individuals throughout the institution to engage video. Troughout the entire redesign, robust communication
in the process by providing feedback, and guided the group in about the process, opportunities for involvement, solicitation
developing a set of design principles to guide their work. of feedback, and details on implementation were shared
with the college community. Te model has been in place for
In each step of the process, the leader should articulate the approximately 18 months and through continued assessment of
tools, techniques, and/or principles that will be used to the implementation, we continue to tweak the model to better
support expansive, divergent thinking as well as convergent serve our needs.
decision making. Becoming skilled in the facilitation of
tools to enable both divergent and convergent thinking Te redesign of shared governance at Valencia is an example
is critical for a collaborative leader, and there are many of thoughtfully designed collaboration and fexible/responsive
resources for building a robust toolbox of strategies to move implementation of a major system redesign. Te process was
groups forward in a collaborative process. By establishing a predicated on two fundamental assumptions. First, we must
framework for a collaborative process (and seeking feedback/ believe that everyone in our organization brings value that, when
input on the process from subject matter experts in strategy, shared, can contribute to solving our most complex challenges.
design, process, and implementation) before the work is Second, we must assume that there is value created in the difcult
underway, participants can focus on the content of the and unpredictable work of collaboration. When we begin with
conversation rather than the process. The leader/facilitator these assumptions, we can give ourselves permission to be our
can focus on guiding and nourishing the conversation rather wholly imperfect and unique selves and contribute in new ways
than running into group gridlock over how a decision will be to achieving our mission. Jones (2012) notes that collaboration
made or how decisions will be shared. is useful, if not essential, in myriad aspects of organizational life
including team building across boundaries, cross-functional design
Afer the Valencia team established the design principles to projects, strategy change and realignment, process de-calcifcation,
solve the clarifed challenge ahead, the group published a customer service, and organizational change eforts. As the context
report of their initial fndings and recommendations for wide of higher education and, in particular, community colleges,
review and comment. Tis step provided additional clarity in continues to shif, we fnd ourselves in need of new strategies to
purpose and created deeper shared meaning with the college advance our work in each of the areas Jones identifed. Our students
community as the team moved into the redesign phase of the are depending on it.

24 LEADERSHIP Vol. 22.1 Spring/Summer 2016

Client: The Chair Academy Job: Leadership_Journal_22.1 SPRING/SUMMER 2016 Final size: 8.5” x 11” Colors: CMYK Bleeds: Yes
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