What is the Theory of We?

The Theory-of-I needs a rethink. Backing a single social innovation, social entrepreneur, organization and believing that it alone can make a difference at the level of change that's needed is no longer serving us. We need to double-down on the Theory of We. We need to find the places where individual effort can yield to aligned action in order to transform systems.

Tough problems defy I-theories. They will transform under the power of we.

There is nothing plug-and-play about launching and supporting groups to tackle intractable problems. There is no one-size-fits all network for social impact. What's needed is for people to come together to develop a deeper understanding of the problem and the most effective shared agenda to tackle it. To do this, I help move groups through six stages of greater alignment and coordination in order to form powerful networks for social impact. 

In each of these stages, there is a set of tools, activities and moves I use to support a bolder we. And throughout this process, I engage leaders in three essential and inter-dependent principles of action to help move people towards a shared goal:

• BUILDING THE HUMAN SYSTEM TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM SYSTEM: Change happens when trust is forged between the people needed to make solutions stick.
  
  I move groups of people through greater levels of alignment, coordination and trust to illuminate what's possible when individual intent, efforts and resources align into shared action. I do this by deeply understanding how leaders and the organizations they work in see the nature of the problem and the paths to a solution; and then help a group build a broader aperture for change that frames a bolder shared vision.

With the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, and while at the Monitor Institute, I co-wrote several resources to support aligned action. GATHER: The Art and Science of Effective Convening is the essential guide on how to design and facilitate strategic conversations to fuel social impact; and supports social change leaders in designing convenings that matter.

• DEVELOPING SHARED STRATEGIES TO MATCH THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACE: Systemic problems are wily. They defy single-point interventions and neat linearity. They require we pull several levers for change throughout the system, and to do so simultaneously not sequentially.
  
  Adaptive challenges necessitate a collective problem-solving approach where people can work across organizational, reputational, issue and ideological silos. I help groups craft a shared point of view about what's needed to shift systems and develop a plan to get there. To balance intentionality with emergence. And to determine which working groups and experiments to launch in order to test and refine an action agenda.

  I have developed critical know-how and resources to help catalyze and leverage the power of we through networks for social impact.

  • ENGAGE: How Funders Can Catalyze and Leverage Networks for Social Impact is an interactive, web-based guide, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, that helps social change leaders understand the why and how of using networks for social impact. (Go to site)

  • PARTICIPATE: The Power of Involving Business in Social Impact Networks, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, explores the critical role business can play in partnering with social change leaders to drive change. (Download)

  • WICKED OPPORTUNITIES, Deloitte Business Trends report 2015 explores how “wicked problems” can be flipped into “wicked opportunities” and tackled by networks of cross-sector players. (Download)

• DESIGNING THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE TO PUT THE PEOPLE AND PLAN IN MOTION: We need to develop a greater capacity to work with and through networks—where insights are surfaced from the collective, leadership and accountability is distributed, and decision making is shared.
  
  Working with and through a network requires a different set of tools, resources, infrastructure and mindsets than operating through a traditional organization. I help design governance and decision rights to support networked activity. Support working groups where the work of aligned action gets done. By engaging the Theory of We, I’ve helped: reimagine learning, rethink youth development and redesign capitalism.

  • SHIFTING A SYSTEM: The Reimagine Learning Network and How to Tackle Persistent Problems documents the first three years of a network we helped launch with New Profit and a funder collaborative to reimagine learning in the US. (Download Reimagine Learning)

  • A NETWORK IN PROGRESS: A Case Study of the First Two Years of This Pioneering Initiative by Venture Philanthropy Partners describes the “startup” years of a network in the National Capital Region we helped launch to support youth in the DC area (rethink youth development)

  • ALIGNING ACTION TO REIMAGINE CAPITALISM: A brief overview of the first phase of the New Capitalism Project in the Winter 2021 National Civic Review on our current work with a group of leaders and funders who are shifting the rules, practices, behaviors and mindsets of our economic system.