Mapping out your Case for Change
A Visual Dialogue process from Delta7 Associates
Sometimes we get lost, we lose our way, become unclear about our organisation's direction. Perhaps this is because we have just too much to deal with or perhaps our map is out of date.
Maps are a useful tool to help us to get our bearings, recognise landmarks, choose the right direction. They are a good metaphor for how we see the world. They help us make sense of our situation, to see how it all fits together. We use them to orient ourselves, help find where we are, what we choose to focus on, make decisions and take action.
Yet maps need continual revision to be true, accurate and useful. Problems arise when our maps become out of date and inaccurate. Yet we continue to hold on to them. We we cling to our maps, and derive comfort from them. We defend them against challenges from objective evidence or others opinions. We try to change the world to fit our maps. Sometimes we hope a problem will go away. It can be uncomfortable or even painful to give up or change our maps, so we tend to avoid taking those steps.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAPS AND THE REALITY OR PHENOMENON THEY PUPORT TO DESCRIBE?
When you meet with colleagues, you quickly find that problems look different from others’ perspectives, We each have a piece of the puzzle. Maps are a way to fit them together to get the big picture, a picture everyone can see. Conflict arises when we try to use our maps on others before we have taken care to know about how they see the world.
Maps are a powerful and unique form of sharing knowledge on what needs to happen and why. They guide us from point to point; they give us a broader perspective and they display intricate structures, patterns and connections. They create a world view. They can connect us to what we know, where we are, where we have been and hopefully were we are going. They simplify and organise what is complex. They are a powerful means of finding a way through a complex problem, giving us more clarity, order and meaning.
Making Progess
Would you like to make a map? Perhaps you need something to give your team clarity on the changes that need to happen? Together we can make a map to help you organise your thinking, clarifying the situation, direction and purpose; give visual structure to all the things you are dealing with and see how it all fits together, giving you a firmer grasp on what is going on and what needs to be done.We can create a common map to engage them in a lively and animated discussion on the current challenges your organisation is facing, their context, and what needs to be done to overcome them. The map we make can be used to start a dialogue with your team, to start conversations that explore new territory…
Here are a few questions to think about before we meet.
Where are you right now? What sort of journey are you on? What direction are you going in? What does the terrain look like? What What are the obstacles are in your way? What do they look like?
what is the best direction to take?Where do you want to get to? What do you need to move forward?
Julian Burton
From http://www.delta7.com/html/map.html
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