Systems Change is a Goal, NOT a Destination
The Unpredictable Path Forward
September 10, 2024
Maryfrances Porter
I often see posts and blogs about the importance of the social sector making and measuring progress toward meaningful systems change. And while it’s a crucial goal, it’s not something we’re actually able to measure, or even be sure we can ever accomplish. This is hard to explain – but I’m going to give it a first try here.
TLDR: If you get nothing else out of this blog, I hope you at least get permission to not focus on measuring systems change, but to use it as your North star. With that as your goal, joyfully spend your energy resourcing communities with opportunities for thriving, because they are the warriors of systems change. Rather than trying to measure the impossible, focus on tracking, reflecting on, and learning from the direct, immediate benefit received by the people you work with.
Here it goes! Wish me luck!
The Holy Grail of Systems Change
Nonprofits, funders, and sector advocates (including me!) are connected by a shared, value-driven vision for less suffering, thriving communities, and a more equitable world.
We relentlessly work on solutions to the most complex challenges we face: poverty, homelessness, wealth disparities, the academic achievement gap, equitable access to medical and mental health care, food and nutrition insecurity, stifled power, institutional racism, collective fear, collective ignorance, and more.
This is especially hard work because these challenges don’t have a single root cause. They’re inter-related and arise from complex histories and compounded traumas. They exist in the context of community norms and culture, and deeply as habits within each one of us.
Regardless of the type of work any of us does, ultimately, we are working toward this vision by – in one way or another – creating opportunities for individual people to thrive and overcome at least one of these challenges.
Just as any change can be complex and unpredictable for you, me, and for each individual person served by the social sector (each of us is a little system after all!), the ultimate systems change we are envisioning also tends to be complex and inherently unpredictable.
You already know measuring individual change is hard. So, how on Earth do you measure progress toward systems change? Well, you don’t.
Learning as the Approach to System’s Change*
We really, really want there to be a key, or set of keys, some sort of Rosetta Stone, which will unlock the way out of suffering and inequity. But, by definition, systems are systems and everything within them is interrelated – even if we don’t see it or understand how.
You know that, even as we all work toward similar systems change goals, the system itself changing around us, with us, and in us. Not only are the goalposts moving, but the entire game being played, and the rules(!), are constantly changing.
The opportunities for systems change are influenced by individual, household, neighborhood, locality, state, national, and international issues. They are impacted by the weather, natural disasters, pandemics (to our collective surprise!), the rise, death, or whims of prominent figures, and innovations in the private sector (like smart phones). The system is impacted by everything we do. . . every. minute. of. every. day.
We often respond to this complexity by either trying to do everything, or by hyper-focusing on the one piece we can manage. But, no matter where you are on the do-everything-to-hyper-focus spectrum, you are most likely to impact systems change in positive ways through intentional reflection and learning.*
Because there is not a key to systems change, there is no key metric; we cannot measure the systems or the change. Because systems change is not linear, here are no benchmarks, no measurable progress along the way.
Taking a curious, learning approach, means we are simultaneously co-creating and responding to systems change.
Changing the Way We Work Together
If the social sector is going to affect real, lasting, systems change, we must change the way we work. We must continuously listen, learn, adapt, create, and grow. . . together. . . over the long term. All the while, we must stay firmly focused on the systems change goals of less suffering and more thriving in the world.
Unfortunately, this is not quick. It’s not clean. It doesn’t fit onto a dashboard. Also, learning in this way often looks like “trial by error, error, error.”*
It’s not for the weak of heart. This works takes bravery, tenacity, and lot’s of humility. But, I know you. You’re up for the challenge.
What You Can Do
Given all this complexity, rather than getting stuck on whether or not we are making systems change, let’s embrace the most effective way to change the system: We can ensure that each person we work with leaves with more resources for thriving. We can joyfully resource these systems change warriors, because together, they are more powerful than any of us.
We can measure proxies for thriving within our domain of practice (specially tracking: achievements, knowledge, skills, access, confidence, and motivation). We can ask people if they have gotten this. We can ask what they need put this into action.
We can use what they tell us to expand our “thought horizons” and learn together, especially answers we never imagined were possible. (For people with a science background – yes, the ‘outliers’ are the most important to understand!)
We can ask people. We can reflect on what they tell us. We can adjust. And we can move forward toward the goal of more putting even more goodness into the world.
This is being data-informed and value-driven. What people tell us is the data, no matter the form: words, numbers, expression, art… The systems change is what we value.
The ImpactStory™ Strategy Supports Learning for Systems Change
I’ve listened to you, reflected, and adjusted to what you need, because each of you is a vessel for systems change. You’ve guided me in creating a straightforward and practical strategy so you can make real progress.
The Strategy is designed so nonprofits and their funders can use it in the process of building authentic, long-term collaborations which are responsive to new information.
The Strategy has step-by-step processes for listening to communities, incorporating non-data ways of knowing, co-learning, expanding “thought horizons,” and evolving your work together.
The Strategy practically supports reflecting and learning as the way toward systems change.
*I am drawing on the work of the Academy for Systems Change and Donella Meadows (more on systems change and her work in my upcoming book!).
Partnerships for Strategic Impact®
At Partnerships for Strategic Impact®, I have all the tools to build out the structures and strategies you need for tracking and using impact. I train social sector staff in how to use these tools, in how to analyze data, in how to make action steps for change, and how to tell powerful impact stories. My goal is your sustainability: I provide just the right amount of coaching and ongoing support to ensure success.
This is within reach. It’s not harder than managing your budget. Plus, you, your funders, and the people you serve deserve to know more about the value your organization delivers.
If you’re reading this, then you’re already part of my network. Schedule some time on my calendar. There’s no sales pitch and no obligation. Just curiosity and answering your questions. I am the seasoned program-evaluation, program-development, data-storytelling partner you need, right in your back pocket. I am here to bring order to the process of figuring out how to track and use your impact story.
– Maryfrances
Your ImpactStory™ Coach
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