Mead Summit Video

This video provides a nice overview of a Whole System Change event.  Mead School District's Superintendent decided to approach strategic planning in a different way.  He decided to bring together all members of the community and collaboratively create a future together - a future that they take action on.

"People support and defend that which they help to create."

This quote gets at the heart of collaboration on a large-scale.  When all key stakeholders come together to co-create a future - that future vision is wiser, more intelligent.  The whole Mead community experientially:

1. Reviewed the current state and agreed together that it is time for a change - including why now?  This is a collective assessment of what is working and not working with an eye toward building on strengths and positive possibilities.
2. Crafted a strategic plan for the future with the leadership that together had input and the necessary support from leadership; sharing power and sharing in responsibility as well.  Leadership brings the question and sets the stage for sharing in the co-creation of the future.  In a Harvard Business Review Article - "You Can Be King or Rich, but You Can't Be Both," the authors make the case from research that the best way for leaders to create a rich future, they must create a shared vision, versus imposing their personal vision on the whole.
3. Identifed key first steps in the process that are critical to moving the whole system forward, concretely in the next six to eight months.  After an event like this, people move to action instantly, because the whole system is leaving on the same page with public commitment to action.
4. Set up a system of accountability to follow-through.  Rather than an event focused strategic planning where the plan goes on a shelf.  In this case, a roadmap is established and communicated at the event so that everyone understands and believes that there will be follow-through.

As you watch the video, notice the DxVxFxS>R formula in action.  Can you see it in the above four steps?  A pivotal moment in the video is when a custodial worker spoke for the whole room in stating that "we are all essential..."  It was a powerful moment.  And, the Mercy College, 20/20 Initiative is based on that fundamental principle.