Diagnosis for Community Development Response - Southern Region CNRED

1. Diagnosis: Determining The Appropriate Community Development Response Southern Region CNRED In-Service November 15, 2012 Resources Used: Diagnosis Section Excerpt – Presentation on “Processes and Best Practice for Positive Community Change in Wisconsin”, Community Development Society Conference, 2012. (In conjunction with Nicole Sidoff) Diagnosis – Adaptation by Grabow of Presentation by Jenny Erickson and Catherine Neiswender with Guidance by David Hinds from “Training Program on Strategic Planning: Local Government and Community Applications”, 2011. Steve Grabow Professor and Community Development Educator University of Wisconsin – Extension, Jefferson Count Office

2. Processes & Best Practice for Positive Community Change in Wisconsin Community Development Society 2012 International Conference July 24, 2012 Nicole Sidoff Assistant Professor & Community Development Educator Steve Grabow Professor & Community Development Educator University of Wisconsin – Extension

3. Diagnosis Visioning and Planning Diagnosis Extensive Simplified • Multi-Day Retreat • Weeks/Months • 6 months – 1½ years • Several Hours • Multi-session Source: Oregon Vision Project, 1993, p. 14 University of Wisconsin-Extension, Strategic Planning Program Team, June 1997

4. Diagnosis A simplified illustration showing the parallel tracks of activities occurring concurrently with planning. Planning Step 1Plan for Planning Step 0Diagnosis Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Design the Approach (Other Purposeful Activities) Sources: University of Wisconsin-Extension, Citizen Participation Team University of Wisconsin-Extension, Strategic Planning Team *The three step mini-process of “Generate-Organize-Select” occurs both formally and informally in each step of the planning process. These three mini-process steps are also referred to as “Search-Synthesize-Select”. Information and ideas are sought during “search”; patterns are uncovered in “synthesize”; and priority actions are identified in ”select”.

5. Diagnosis Five Purposeful Activities: • Operating & supervising • Planning & design • Research • Evaluation • Learning Each is activity unique in: • Approach • Strategies/skills/tools/roles required to pursue

6. Diagnosis Purpose-Based Action Important Supporting Roles • Innovator • Materials specialist • Organizer/promoter • People involvement specialist • Recorder/record keeper • Resource generator/ coordinator/developer • Writer/editor • Activist • Advocate • Boundary spanner • Chairperson • Conflict resolver • Consultant/advisor • Convener • Information resource provider

7. Diagnosis Planning steps can be used solo or in combinations to achieve various purposes Should be based on relevance and appropriateness Should lead to determining which purposeful activity should be pursued

8. Diagnosis Presented by Steve Grabow at the Southern District CNRED In-Service November 15, 2012 Jenny Erickson and Catherine Neiswender with guidance from David Hinds(And Adaptations by Steve Grabow)

9. What is Diagnosis? • A method for gathering information about how an organization or community functions: problem identification. • An up-front process to determine a follow-up response.

10. The purpose of diagnosis is to determine which purposeful activity would best initially address the organization’s or community’s issues. Organization/Community Planning & Design Research Learning Operating & Supervising Evaluation

11. Our Response • Good diagnosis leads to the most meaningful response by us! Exercise • Silently generate a list of recent examples, from your practice, of projects from these five purposeful activities (in prior slide). • We will than share.

12. UW- Extension’s Role: Help the client to discover objective information, to better understand the situation to be faced, achieve a self-diagnosis and our diagnosis about the proper response. Coach McCarthy

13. Back Up! Many times clients have to be “backed up” to get at the root of what is going on What problem are they tackling? Who has been involved? What alternatives havebeen looked at?

14. Back Up! -Conclusions: What we believe based on what we think and feel. -Interpretations: How what we see or hear makes us think or feel. -Data: What we actually see and hear.

15. What are the underlying issues? Use questions to help clients determine what the underlying issues are -- not just address the obvious symptoms.

16. Diagnosis is Underrated.A most important step!

17. Methods for Diagnosis 1.) Checklist/worksheet method 2.) Branching questions/smart questions 3.) Readiness assessment

18. Diagnosis: Checklist/Worksheet Method • Guides that you develop or use that: • Get at the clients’ situation. • Help determine the key purpose for the response. • Help figure out the client’s ideal expectations for a successful response. • Determine a framework for a realistic response. • Help identify who needs to be involved in the response.

19. Diagnosis: Branching Questions/Smart Questions “If you do not ask the right questions, you do not get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its own answer. Asking questions is the A-B-C of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.” Edward Hodnett, British Poet

20. Readiness Assessment • In conjunction with the client, make sure key capacity considerations are or can be put in place: • Leaders energized for a response. • Resources available for the effort. • Necessary communication systems. • Structure and processes exist or can be assembled. • Value can be identified • Timing is right.

21. Hypothetical Situation:Develop a SurveyPRACTICE: The Phone Call… Hello UWEX Agent. I am a member of a local organization, and we need your help to develop a survey. NOW WHAT?

22. Start with Questions • What is the purpose of the survey? • What concerns or issues do you hope it will address? • How will you use the information? • Have you done surveys before? How did it go? • What alternatives have you considered?

23. Your skills may not be what is needed. Find out what is needed.

24. Listen for Clues They respond, “The purpose of the survey is to determine if the members want to dissolve our organization”. What question would you ask next?

25. Listen for Clues They respond, “The purpose of the survey is to determine if the members want to dissolve our organization”. • Evaluation: How do you determine if your organization is effective? • Planning & Design: Tell me more about the purpose and vision of your organization? • Learning: Do your members have the information they need to make this decision?

26. Listen for Clues UWEX: “Do your members have the information they need to make a decision?” They respond, “I am really surprised, but ask any of our members and they can’t tell you what we do.” How would you respond?

27. Diagnosis is an Art

28. In the End… Hopefully, the client learns how to: • ask better questions • challenge their assumptions • better diagnose their issues in the future Hopefully, we can: • help guide the client to a meaningful response

29. Lessons Learned Listen or your tongue will make you deaf. - Native American Proverb

30. Buy Some Time Let’s set up a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss this further. Let me get back to you with some ideas. Have you contacted…

31. Build Strong Relationships Create an environment where the client feels free to speak and share. They are relaxed They feel comfortable with you Respond to the client’s emotions and language – both are vital

32. Diagnosis Gone Wrong • Thinking is guided by a prototype and you fail to consider the possibilities that contradict that prototype. “I have seen this one before.” • Remember the “Principle of Uniqueness”: every situation is unique. Adapted from Groopman, 2007

33. “It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Abraham Maslow

34. Readiness Reminders • Reasonable time frame • Core of interested leaders willing to do the leg work. • Adequate resources • Willingness, consensus and commitment from the organization on direction and complete next steps. • Demonstrated willingness to stick with the plan.

35. Questions?