Supporting Your Team in this Moment - Part 2
Today’s article is the second of a three-part series with my colleague and friend Patty Narváez-Wheeler, Founder and Managing Director of Práctica Consulting.
Jordan: I’ve come across many organizations in recent years that, because of trying to be responsive to the community voice, staff needs, and principles of egalitarianism more broadly, now have layers of processes that hamper their ability to move from ideas to action in a timely and impactful way. Too many ideas simply get lost or expire before they have a chance to be implemented. What advice do you have for organizational leaders looking to dismantle these internal systems rendered ineffective while retaining the values that inspired them?
Patty Narváez-Wheeler: I’ve seen this happen and been guilty of it myself. The truth is, we will never please everyone, and using our authority as leaders when things stall or go sideways is a sacred and necessary part of the job. And, over 15 years of engaging community members and employees, I’ve heard time and again that people are tired of being asked for input—they want organizations to honor the time, energy, and needs they’ve already shared. And I don’t think structure and authority are incompatible with democratic or egalitarian ideals or emergent strategy, but rather it’s a question of the processes we use and how we use our positional power within them. In my opinion, our values should be embodied throughout the life of an initiative, not just at inception. So if a process isn’t working, it’s time to revise it.
Jordan: I must admit I may have been guilty of this too, in the past. So what should someone like myself consider learning more about or adopting to balance these dynamics in a way that simplifies and streamlines the work without drifting away from values and heart-centered work?
Patty Narváez-Wheeler: I’ve been inspired by many impact assessment tools and engagement protocols over the years, and after co-creating and scaling initiatives across the public and nonprofit sectors, I’ve found that these steps help center those most impacted, build on existing wisdom, and support equitable, inclusive co-creation without losing momentum or dying on the vine.
1) Start with what is already known and what has already worked.
I’m a big believer in not reinventing the wheel. In my experience, there is always plenty of data lying around and a lot of wisdom within the relationships you already hold. Do your research first. Look for who has already spoken to the people you think you need to talk to, who has asked similar questions, or who has tackled a comparable challenge like employee engagement surveys, local partners’ annual reports, a recent community needs survey, etc. Build a draft scope, strategy, or plan from that foundation. Suddenly, you have a concept rooted in recent, local data that people can respond to, rather than a blank page.
2) Take the concept to existing groups who trust you—and whom you trust.
Bring the draft to existing gatherings: a governing body like a commission or advisory board, or a standing community meeting. Thought partnership is always easier to activate when people have something concrete to react to. Share the concept and ask very specific questions: What resonates? What concerns you? Who or what is missing? Use that “missing” list to identify whether you need an engagement phase at all—and if so, what its purpose and target should be.
3) Tailor additional engagement only to what’s still missing—and define “good enough.”
By this point, you will know which parts of your concept are solid and where actual gaps remain. Design a focused engagement phase centered only on the outstanding questions and missing voices. Be explicit about the engagement’s intention and scope, and set clear criteria for what “good enough” looks like so you don’t fall into perfectionism or people-pleasing.For example:
“We need to hear from 50 more community members,”
“We need buy-in from our five key partners,” or
“We need a 20% survey response rate,”
Then set a deadline and communicate it clearly. Make engagement methods accessible, flexible, and varied within your timeline.
A bonus practice: build in a pilot phase if resources allow. If any key stakeholders or questions were missed when the engagement closed, prioritize including them—or it—during the pilot. Implementation, not planning, is where your most valuable insights will emerge.
4) Follow Up and Use Your Authority When Needed
Whatever engagement you do, big or small, always follow up with the people who shared their time, energy, and insights. Close the loop. Tell them what you’re doing with what they offered. And if something important arises outside your scope, use your position to route it to the right decision-makers. It’s also okay—and sometimes necessary—for leaders to call out scope creep, pause the process, or declare a respectful sunset on a phase. I’ve stepped into organizations where groups had been meeting for months, swirling in ideation until their purpose became unclear. They needed someone to ask the hard questions, name the ambiguity, and give them permission to conclude the work. Following up and leading with clarity honors people’s contributions and protects organizational momentum.
Part 3 in this series will arrive in January. Stay tuned!
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